Low Cost Screening for Features of Prodromal Parkinson's Disease in General Medical Practice in Italy

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility of screening older adults attending general medical practice for features suggesting prodromal Parkinson's disease (PD). Four general practitioners recruited 392 subjects aged ≥60 years, attending their primary clinics. A self-administered questionnaire collected information on history of probable rapid eye movements sleep behavior disorder (pRBD), constipation, risk markers for PD, and on subjective cognitive function. Olfactory function was tested. Constipation (27.8%), and hyposmia (19.9%), but not pRBD (4.3%), were more prevalent with age. Further supporting the feasibility of a longitudinal study, 299 subjects agreed to be followed.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; epidemiology; health policy and practice.