MDS Abstracts

Abstracts from the International Congress of Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders.

MENU 
  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2024 International Congress
    • 2023 International Congress
    • 2022 International Congress
    • MDS Virtual Congress 2021
    • MDS Virtual Congress 2020
    • 2019 International Congress
    • 2018 International Congress
    • 2017 International Congress
    • 2016 International Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
  • Advanced Search

Tonsillectomy and risk of Parkinson’s disease: A Danish nationwide population-based cohort study

E. Svensson, V. Henderson, S. Szépligeti, M. Stokholm, T. Klug, H. Sørensen, P. Borghammer (Aarhus, Denmark)

Meeting: 2017 International Congress

Abstract Number: 23

Keywords: Parkinsonism

Session Information

Date: Monday, June 5, 2017

Session Title: Epidemiology

Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm

Location: Exhibit Hall C

Objective: To our knowledge, no studies have examined whether the lymphoid tissue of the tonsils are involved PD, or whether tonsillectomy modifies the risk of PD.

Background:  Recent research suggests that PD may be a prion-like disease. Lymphoid tissues of the tonsils play a central part in transmissible prion diseases, like variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Methods: We used Danish medical registries to construct a cohort of all patients in Denmark with an operation code of tonsillectomy 1980-2010 (n= 195,169) and a matched age and sex general population comparison cohort (n= 975,845). Patients were followed until diagnosis of PD (ascertained by in- and outpatient hospital diagnoses) death, censoring, or end of follow-up Nov 30th 2013. Using Cox regression, we computed hazard ratios (HRs) for PD and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for age and sex by study design, together with other potential confounders, stratified by follow-up time and sex.

Results: During follow-up, we identified 100 and 568 PD diagnoses amongst the tonsillectomy cohort and the general population comparison cohort, respectively, finding an almost similar risk of PD [adjusted (a) HR = 0.95 (95% CI: 0.76–1.19)]. No substantial difference was observed after more than 20 years of follow up (HR= 0.96 (95% CI:  0.64–1.41). There was no difference stratifying on sex.

 

Conclusions: Tonsillectomy is not a risk factor for PD.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

E. Svensson, V. Henderson, S. Szépligeti, M. Stokholm, T. Klug, H. Sørensen, P. Borghammer. Tonsillectomy and risk of Parkinson’s disease: A Danish nationwide population-based cohort study [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2017; 32 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/tonsillectomy-and-risk-of-parkinsons-disease-a-danish-nationwide-population-based-cohort-study/. Accessed May 18, 2025.
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2017 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/tonsillectomy-and-risk-of-parkinsons-disease-a-danish-nationwide-population-based-cohort-study/

Most Viewed Abstracts

  • This Week
  • This Month
  • All Time
      • Welcome to the MDS Abstracts Site
      • Effect of marijuana on Essential Tremor: A case report
      • Advanced Search
      • Increased Risks of Botulinum Toxin Injection in Patients with Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: A Case Series
      • Covid vaccine induced parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction
      • Help & Support
      • About Us
      • Cookies & Privacy
      • Wiley Job Network
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Advertisers & Agents
      Copyright © 2025 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. All Rights Reserved.
      Wiley