Parkinson's Disease in Romania: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a significant cause of disability, with a fast-growing prevalence. This review summarizes the epidemiological and clinical data, research on the diagnostic approaches and the interventions available in the Eastern European country of Romania. This scoping review follows the recommendations on the scoping review methodology by Joanna Briggs Institute. We searched four databases (up to 27 January 2021). The data of eligible studies were extracted in standardized forms. We identified 149 unique studies from 1133 records, with 11 epidemiological studies, 52 studies investigating clinical aspects of PD, 35 studies on diagnostic tools, and 51 intervention studies. A narrative synthesis is provided and placed in a historical context. Our review revealed a considerable increase in the Romanian research on PD in the latest 15 years, which largely follows international trends. However, we also identified several research gaps that provide useful information for policymakers, public health specialists, and clinicians.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; Romania; scoping review.

Figure 1

PRISMA selection flowchart.

Figure 2

Different categories of Romanian studies.

Figure 3

Yearly trend (number of articles) in different types of studies.

Figure 4

Number of studies by region.

Figure 5

Different topics assessed by the clinical research. Some studies investigated multiple clinical aspects. Abbreviations: BMI—body mass index.

Figure 6

Research areas of the diagnostic studies. Abbreviations: TMS—transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Figure 7

Different pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions were investigated in Romanian Parkinson’s disease patients. Abbreviations: LCIG—levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel; MAO-B inhibitors—monoamine oxidase type B inhibitors.

Figure 8

Epidemiological studies on Parkinson’s disease.