Objective: To examine the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism in individuals aged 60 years and older in a population-based sample from Southern Brazil, analyzing differences by age and sex.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting populations worldwide [1]. Understanding its prevalence in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, is essential for assessing healthcare system demands and exploring potential environmental influences. However, epidemiological studies in this region remain limited [2-6], highlighting the need for further research.

Method: This population-based study included 3,475 individuals aged 60 years or older. A structured screening process was employed, using Tanner’s Questionnaire [8], a 9-item questionnaire to identify signs of parkinsonism, alongside the Single Question Screen (RBD1Q) [8] and inquiries regarding previous PD diagnosis or the use of antiparkinsonian medication. Participants with positive screenings were evaluated by a neurologist specializing in movement disorders. Prevalence rates were stratified by gender, age, and urban versus rural residence. Missing data were managed using a logistic regression model, incorporating gender and age as variables.

Results: The estimated prevalence of parkinsonism was 2.93% (95% CI: 2.37 – 3.50, which was similar between genders across all age groups. PD prevalence was 1.26% (95% CI: 0.92 – 1.64), occurring more frequently in men (1.49%, 95% CI: 0.88 – 2.17) than in women (1.09%, 95% CI: 0.65 – 1.60). A gender disparity was observed in the 70-79 age groups between women (0.81% (95% ci: 0.16 – 1.61) and men 2.54% (95% CI: 1.02 – 3.69). No variation was noted between urban and rural populations.

Conclusion: The prevalence of PD and parkinsonism in this study was lower than that reported in previous research conducted in southeastern Brazil and is comparable to rates observed in developed nations. These findings suggest regional differences in disease occurrence, emphasizing the importance of further epidemiological investigations across Brazil.

Table 1

References: [1] GBD 2016 Parkinson’s Disease Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of Parkinson’s disease, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet Neurol. 2018;17(11):939-953.
[2] Nicoletti A, Sofia V, Bartoloni A, et al. Prevalence of Parkinson’s disease: a door-to-door survey in rural Bolivia. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2003;10(1):19-21.
[3] Melcon MO, Anderson DW, Vergara RH, Rocca WA. Prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in junín, Buenos Aires province, argentina. Mov Disord. 1997;12(2):197-205.
[4] Sánchez JL, Buriticá O, Pineda D, Uribe CS, Palacio LG. Prevalence of Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism in a Colombian population using the capture-recapture method. Int J Neurosci. 2004;114(2):175-182.
[5] Giroud JL, Esteban EM, Collado-Mesa F. Prevalencia de la enfermedad de Parkinson en un área urbana de la provincia Ciudad de La Haban, Cuba. estudio poblacional. Neurologia. 2000;15(7):269-273.
[6] Chouza C, Ketzoian C, Caamaño JL, et al. Prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in a population of Uruguay. Preliminary results. Adv Neurol. 1996;69:13-17.
[7] Barbosa, M. T. et al. Parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease in the elderly: A community‐based survey in Brazil (the Bambuí study). Movement Disorders 21, 800–808 (2006).
[8] Postuma, R. B. et al. A single‐question screen for rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: A multicenter validation study. Movement Disorders 27, 913–916 (2012).

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/epidemiology-of-parkinsons-disease-in-southern-brazil-age-and-sex-specific-findings-from-the-probe-pd-study/