BRUSSELS, June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — A new study
investigating the incidence and impact of gastrointestinal
disorders (GID) among patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) found
that patients who received both a PD diagnosis and a prior GID
diagnosis appeared to have worse health outcomes compared to
patients who received a diagnosis for PD with no prior GID
diagnosis. This retrospective observational analysis of US
administrative health claims data was published this month in the
Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.
The study concluded that the majority of people diagnosed with
PD acquired at least one GID, with incidence reaching 65% of
patients four years after diagnosis. In addition, PD patients
with pre-existing GIDs before PD diagnosis were more likely to
develop neurological, movement and urinary disorders, and may have
required a higher level of healthcare utilization and increased
healthcare costs.
“This analysis reinforced the clinical impact of
gastrointestinal disorders among people living with Parkinson’s
disease,” commented study author, Dr. Florent Richy, Head of Global
Epidemiology, UCB and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the
University of Liege, Belgium. “These patients tended to have worse
health outcomes and required a higher level of care overall.”
GIDs – such as difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia),
delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis) and bowel dysfunction
– are the more commonly observed non-motor symptoms of PD.
GIDs affect nearly all aspects of the gastrointestinal
system, and tend to worsen as PD progresses.
Study Findings
Increased incidence over time of GIDs in patients diagnosed
with PD
- 29% of patients diagnosed with PD had been diagnosed with GIDs
in the previous year - After four years, the proportion of PD patients diagnosed with
GIDs increased to:‘/>”/>
