title: Case-control study of environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease in Belgium.
abstract: The aetiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown and said to be multifactorial. We report on a retrospective epidemiological case control study, performed in Flanders during a 3-year period, investigating known and potential environmental risk factors for PD by means of questionnaires. We investigated 423 prevalent patients and 205 spouse-controls. We found familial occurrence in 15% of the patients, a mean age of onset of 58 years, and a clear male preponderance (male/female ratio 1.53). Our results suggest more nulliparity among female PD patients (95% CI: 1.08-5.76). We found a discrete clustering of patients in areas with intensive metallurgic frequently employed in metallurgy than controls (95% CI: 1.04-9.20). Furthermore, patients were clearly more exposed to zinc (95% CI: 1.51-90.90) and toluene (95% CI: 1.03 58.82). Male patients report more prostatectomy-surgery (95% CI: 1.54-17.24).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurobiology, Born Bunge Foundation, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pals
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van Everbroeck
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grubben
authors.forename: Maria Kristina
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Viaene
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dom
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van der Linden
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santens
authors.forename: Jean Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cras
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003710:Demography; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires