Clinical Trial WATCH | Neurology, Parkinson's


Risk of Parkinson's disease in people with New Onset Anxiety over 50 years - Incidence and Associated Features

This summary is intended to provide a snapshot of the original research. It is in no way a substitute for the original research article, nor is it intended to be a complete reflection of the original research. 

Originally published in British Journal of General Practice, 21 March 2024

Anxiety is recognized as a potential precursor to Parkinson's disease (PD), but the prospective risk and associated clinical factors remain unclear. 

This retrospective cohort study utilized UK primary care data from 2008 to 2018 to assess PD incidence in individuals aged over 50 with new-onset anxiety and identify associated risk factors. 

Weibull survival regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for time-to-PD onset in anxiety versus non-anxiety groups, adjusting for various factors. 

The researchers report that individuals with anxiety had twice the risk of developing PD compared to those without (adjusted HR 2.1, CI: 1.9-2.4), even after accounting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health factors. Among those with anxiety, the presence of depression, hypotension, tremor, rigidity, balance impairment, constipation, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and cognitive impairment increased PD risk. 

They conclude that anxiety is associated with a doubled risk of PD development, indicating its potential as a prodromal symptom. Identifying clinical features associated with PD in anxiety patients may aid in early PD detection and intervention.

 

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