Parkinson's disease and antidepressant drug treatment: a case-register study.
We estimated the nationwide prevalence rate of antidepressant drug treatment in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.


BACKGROUND
Very few studies exist on the frequency of antidepressant drug treatment in patients with PD.


METHODS
Patients with a PD diagnosis at first hospital contact were identified and followed for up to 6 years. The subsequent probability of antidepressant drug treatment was estimated and compared to a control group of patients with osteoarthritis.


RESULTS
The probability of antidepressant drug treatment was 3.98 [95% CI: 3.23-4.91) times higher for PD patients than for controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with PD have higher rates of actual antidepressant drug treatment than a control group with osteoarthritis. Still, however, undertreatment of depressive states may be the case.
Brandt-Christensen
Mette
M
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Copenhagen Rigshospitalet, Denmark. mette.brandt@rh.dk
Garcia Lopez
Ana
A
Mørkeberg Nilsson
Flemming
F
Kragh Andersen
Per
P
Vedel Kessing
Lars
L
D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000928:Antidepressive Agents