Comorbidities in Parkinson's Influence Fitness-to-Drive Recommendations

February 2, 2016

HealthDay News — Comorbidities of Parkinson's disease patients affect physicians' driving recommendations, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Maud Ranchet, PhD, from Augusta University in Georgia, and colleagues assessed the effect of comorbidities on fitness-to-drive recommendations made by physicians and on-road driving assessors for patients with Parkinson's disease.

The researchers found moderate correlations between comorbidity and fitness-to-drive recommendations made by the physicians and the on-road assessors. For physicians, comorbidity was the most important determinant of fitness-to-drive recommendations, but no significant effect of comorbidity was seen for the on-road recommendations. There was agreement between physicians and on-road assessors in nearly two-thirds (46 of 72) of the cases.

"This study indicates the need for an interdisciplinary dialogue between physicians and on-road assessors to reach a comprehensive fitness-to-drive decision," the authors write.

Reference

Ranchet M, Tant M, Akinwuntan AE, Neal E, Devos H. Comorbidity in Drivers with Parkinson's Disease. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2016; doi:10.1111/jgs.13942.

http://www.neurologyadvisor.com/movement-disorders/parkinsons-disease-comorbidities-fitness-to-drive-physician-recommendation/article/470052/