PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS

23rd February 2009 - New research

THE DEATH RATE IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Movement Disorders [2009] Feb 17 [Epub ahead of print] (Diem-Zangerl A, Seppi K, Wenning GK, Trinka E, Ransmayr G, Oberaigner W, Poewe W.) Complete abstract

Parkinson's Disease is not a fatal illness. However, it has often been claimed that somebody has died due to the complications of Parkinson's Disease, such as the assertion made on the following web site : "Parkinson's sufferers eventually die from secondary complications such as pneumonia, urinary tract infection, pressure sores, septicemia and stroke." Although Parkinson's Disease reduces the ability to cope with some medical disorders, deaths due to some medical disorders have been associated with Parkinson's Disease even though Parkinson's Disease has nothing in common with them. Researchers have shown that claims of death being much more likely in Parkinson's Disease are greatly exaggerated. After 5 years of Parkinson's Disease, the death rate was actually significantly lower than for other people of the same age. Even after 10 years of Parkinson's Disease, the death rate remained lower than for people without Parkinson's Disease. Only after 15 years with Parkinson's Disease did somebody's risk of mortality increase beyond the norm, and even then it was only slight - 1.2 times more than would be expected. After 20 to 30 years with Parkinson's Disease, the increased likelihood of mortality was still only 1.3 times normal. The risks were found to be even less for females.

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Parkinson's Disease News details all significant new research, news reports, new books, and new resources concerning Parkinson's Disease and those medical disorders that often coincide with Parkinson's Disease : Parkinsonism, Essential Tremor, Dystonia, Restless Legs Syndrome. It is compiled from an analysis of  all newly published research, news reports, new clinical trials, all newly published books, and new web sites. A summary and analysis of the new research are provided,  as well as links to the complete abstracts and news reports.