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Use of ibuprofen and risk of Parkinson disease
Xiang Gao1, Honglei Chen, Michael A Schwarzschild
1Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA. xiang.gao@channing.harvard.edu
Background:
Neuroinflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD). Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in general, and possibly ibuprofen in particular, has been shown to be related to lower PD risk in previous epidemiologic studies.
Methods:
We prospectively examined whether use of ibuprofen or other NSAIDs is associated with lower PD risk among 136,197 participants in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) free of PD at baseline (1998 for NHS and 2000 for HPFS). NSAIDs use was assessed via questionnaire. Results were combined in a meta-analysis with those of published prospective investigations.
Results:
We identified 291 incident PD cases during 6 years of follow-up. Users of ibuprofen had a significantly lower PD risk than nonusers (relative risk [RR], adjusted for age, smoking, caffeine, and other covariates = 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42-0.93; p = 0.02). There was a dose-response relationship between tablets of ibuprofen taken per week and PD risk (p trend = 0.01). In contrast, PD risk was not significantly related to use of aspirin (RR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.78-1.26), other NSAIDs (RR = 1.26; 95% CI 0.86-1.84), or acetaminophen (RR = 0.86; 95% CI 0.62-1.18). Similar results were obtained in the meta-analyses: the pooled RR was 0.73 (95% CI 0.63-0.85; p < 0.0001) for ibuprofen use, whereas use of other types of analgesics was not associated with lower PD risk.
Conclusions:
The association between use of ibuprofen and lower PD risks, not shared by other NSAIDs or acetaminophen, suggests ibuprofen should be further investigated as a potential neuroprotective agent against PD.
Insights
Regular ibuprofen use may lower Parkinson disease risk, unlike other pain relievers. This finding suggests ibuprofen could be a potential neuroprotective agent for Parkinson disease prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Epidemiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Neuroinflammation is implicated in Parkinson disease (PD) pathogenesis.
- Previous studies suggest nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly ibuprofen, may reduce PD risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the association between ibuprofen, other NSAIDs, and acetaminophen use and the risk of developing Parkinson disease.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study of 136,197 participants from the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
- NSAID use assessed via questionnaire; results combined with published prospective studies in a meta-analysis.
Main Results:
- Ibuprofen users showed a significantly lower PD risk (RR=0.62).
- A dose-response relationship was observed between weekly ibuprofen intake and reduced PD risk.
- No significant association was found between PD risk and the use of aspirin, other NSAIDs, or acetaminophen.
Conclusions:
- Ibuprofen use is associated with a lower risk of Parkinson disease.
- This effect was specific to ibuprofen and not observed with other analgesics, suggesting ibuprofen warrants further investigation as a neuroprotective agent for PD.
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