COVID-19 in Parkinson's Disease Patients Living in Lombardy, Italy
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Published on: June 23, 2023
Alfonso Fasano1,2, Emanuele Cereda3, Michela Barichella4,5
1Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN, Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Background:
It is unknown whether patients with PD are at greater risk of COVID-19, what their risk factors are, and whether their clinical manifestations differ from the general population.
Objectives:
The study aimed to address all these issues.
Methods:
In a case-controlled survey, we interviewed 1,486 PD patients attending a single tertiary center in Lombardy, Italy and 1,207 family members (controls).
Results:
One hundred five (7.1%) and 92 controls (7.6%) were identified as COVID-19 cases. COVID-19 patients were younger, more likely to suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to be obese, and vitamin D nonsupplemented than unaffected patients. Six patients (5.7%) and 7 family members (7.6%) died from COVID-19. Patients were less likely to report shortness of breath and require hospitalization.
Conclusions:
In an unselected large cohort of nonadvanced PD patients, COVID-19 risk and mortality did not differ from the general population, but symptoms appeared to be milder. The possible protective role of vitamin D supplementation warrants future studies. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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