Comorbid disorders and hospitalisation in Parkinson's disease: a prospective study.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is often associated with other disorders, typical of the disease or of the age of PD patients, that can lead to hospitalisation, sometimes as emergencies. In this one-year prospective, longitudinal study, we investigated the comorbid events prompting the hospitalisation, or occurring during the planned hospitalisation, of an unselected group of 180 PD patients, admitted to 9 general hospitals in the course of the study. The most frequent acute comorbid events were trauma (30.5%), mostly due to falls, and vascular disorders (29.3%). Comorbidities were closely related to PD in 50% of cases. More than 50% of patients did not require (in addition to PD therapy) specific treatment for the acute comorbid event. Older age was associated with increased risk of complications. The setting up of multidisciplinary networks covering entire territories could help to improve the way in which we tackle the clinical and social problems generated by PD and its comorbidities.
Martignoni
E
E
Department of Medical Sciences, A. Avogadro University of Eastern Piedmont, I-28100 Novara, Italy. emilia.martignoni@med.unipmn.it
Godi
L
L
Citterio
A
A
Zangaglia
R
R
Riboldazzi
G
G
Calandrella
D
D
Pacchetti
C
C
Nappi
G
G
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*