Prevalence and incidence of Parkinson's disease in Europe

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005 Aug;15(4):473-90. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2005.04.007.

Abstract

Objective: To provide an overview on the prevalence and incidence of Parkinson's disease (PD) in selected European countries.

Background: PD is a common disease of unknown etiology. Accurate information on the epidemiology of PD is critical to inform health policy. An aging population will lead to more patients with PD; thus, the high financial burden PD places on society will increase.

Material and methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies on the prevalence and incidence of PD in the following European countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom. Only published studies were included. Abstracts, reviews, meta-analyses and letters to the editor were excluded. There were no language restrictions. Data were extracted using a standardized assessment form, and evidence tables were used to systematically report and compare the data.

Results: Of 39 identified studies, most (87%) reported estimates of PD prevalence rates, while only a few (13%) reported estimates of PD annual incidence rates. Crude prevalence rate estimates ranged from 65.6 per 100,000 to 12,500 per 100,000 and annual incidence estimates ranged from 5 per 100,000 to 346 per 100,000. No publications could be identified for Austria or the Czech Republic.

Discussion and conclusion: The observed variations in prevalence and incidence rates may result from environmental or genetic factors, but might also be a consequence of differences in methodologies for case ascertainment, diagnostic criteria, or age distributions of the study populations. The comparability of existing studies is limited.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Data Collection
  • Epidemiologic Studies
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Parkinson Disease / epidemiology*
  • Prevalence
  • Review Literature as Topic
  • Sex Distribution