PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS

23rd May 2011 - New review

MISDIAGNOSIS IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Misdiagnosis in Parkinson's Disease is very common. Initial diagnoses of Parkinson's Disease made by general neurologists were only infrequently changed [reference 1], yet were incorrect in 24% to 35% of cases [reference 1]  [reference 2]. This means that many people have been treated for Parkinson's Disease for the rest of their lives without ever having had Parkinson's Disease. In people taking Parkinson's Disease drugs, Parkinsonism was confirmed in only 74% of cases and only 53% of them had probable Parkinson's Disease. Over a quarter of the patients did not benefit from Parkinson's Disease drugs [reference 2] [reference 3]. More than 1 in 3 people with tremor were misdiagnosed as having Essential Tremor, when the majority of them actually had Parkinson's Disease [reference 4]. As many as a quarter of people with tremor disorders were wrongly diagnosed as having tremor dominant Parkinson's disease, and as many as a fifth of people with tremor dominant Parkinson's disease were wrongly diagnosed as having other tremor disorders [reference 5]. For more current news go to Parkinson's Disease News.

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Parkinson's Disease News details all significant new research, news reports, new books, and new resources concerning Parkinson's Disease and those medical disorders that often coincide with Parkinson's Disease. It is compiled from an analysis of  all newly published research, news reports, new clinical trials, all newly published books, and new web sites. A summary and analysis of the new research are provided,  as well as links to the complete abstracts and news reports