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Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: September 22, 2023
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Constipation preceding Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Kerala L Adams-Carr1, Jonathan P Bestwick2, Samuel Shribman3
1Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|September 9, 2015
Summary
Constipation significantly increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). This systematic review found individuals with constipation were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with PD.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gastroenterology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Constipation is a recognized non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease.
- Observational studies suggest constipation can precede a Parkinson's diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and estimate the association between premorbid constipation and the later diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis adhering to Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) criteria.
- Literature search of PubMed (December 2014) using terms 'Parkinson's disease' and 'constipation'.
- Included studies assessed constipation via questionnaire or medical records; data were analyzed using a fixed-effects model.
Main Results:
- Nine studies comprising 741,593 participants were included.
- Constipation was associated with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 2.27 (95% CI 2.09 to 2.46) for developing Parkinson's disease.
- Constipation more than 10 years prior to diagnosis showed a pooled OR of 2.13 (95% CI 1.78 to 2.56).
Conclusions:
- Constipation is linked to an elevated risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
- Constipation can be an early indicator, preceding a Parkinson's diagnosis by over ten years.
