Objective: To assess whether the prevalence of osteoporosis increases with the duration of levodopa treatment in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Background: Patients with Parkinson’s disease are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis due to multi-factorial causes. Levodopa treatment increases homocysteine levels and hyper-homocysteinemia is a risk factor for osteoporosis. In this project, the prevalence of osteoporosis/osteopenia was assessed against the duration of levodopa treatment with the assumption that it increases progressively with duration of treatment.

Methods: As part of service development, patients attending movement disorder clinic are screened for osteoporosis. 24 female patients with Parkinson’s disease aged 70yrs and over who were not on preventive treatment for osteoporosis, not have any other medical condition that increases the risk of osteoporosis, not been ever treated with oral corticosteroids and not been previously diagnosed with osteoporosis were screened using fragility risk assessment method and national osteoporosis guideline group recommendations for investigation of osteoporosis.

Results: The prevalence of osteoporosis/osteopenia was 67%(4/6) in patients with < 1yr of treatment, 40% (2/5)in 1-2yrs, 20%(1/5) in 2-3yrs, 50%(3/6) in 3-7yrs and 50%(1/2) in >7yrs of treatment with levodopa.

Conclusions: Prevalence of primary osteoporosis/osteopenia in this selective group of female patients with Parkinson’s disease did not progressively increase with duration of treatment with levodopa.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/duration-of-levodopa-treatment-and-prevalence-of-osteoporosis-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease/