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Prevalence and impact of COVID-19 in Parkinson’s disease: evidence from a multi-center survey in Tuscany region

2020; Springer Science+Business Media; Volume: 268; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/s00415-020-10002-6

1432-1459

Eleonora Del Prete, Alessio Francesconi, Giovanni Palermo, Sonia Mazzucchi, Daniela Frosini, Riccardo Morganti, Piero Coleschi, Laura Maria Raglione, Giovanni Pracucci, Silvia Ramat, Alessio Novelli, Alessandro Napolitano, Carla Battisti, Martina Giuntini, Carlo Rossi, C. Menichetti, Monica Ulivelli, Valentino De Franco, Símone Rossi, Ubaldo Bonuccelli, Roberto Ceravolo,

Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention

If Parkinson's Disease (PD) may represent a risk factor for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is debated and there are few data on the direct and indirect effects of this pandemic in PD patients. In the current study we evaluated the prevalence, mortality and case-fatality of COVID-19 in a PD cohort, also exploring possible risk factors. We also aimed to investigate the effect of lockdown on motor/non-motor symptoms in PD patients as well as their acceptability/accessibility to telemedicine. A case-controlled survey about COVID-19 and other clinical features in PD patients living in Tuscany was conducted. In non-COVID-19 PD patients motor/non-motor symptoms subjective worsening during the lockdown as well as feasibility of telemedicine were explored. Out of 740 PD patients interviewed, 7 (0.9%) were affected by COVID-19, with 0.13% mortality and 14% case-fatality. COVID-19 PD patients presented a higher presence of hypertension (p < 0.001) and diabetes (p = 0.049) compared to non-COVID-19. In non-COVID-19 PD population (n = 733) about 70% did not experience a subjective worsening of motor symptoms or mood, anxiety or insomnia. In our population 75.2% of patients was favorable to use technology to perform scheduled visits, however facilities for telemedicine were available only for 51.2% of cases. A higher prevalence of COVID-19 respect to prevalence in Tuscany and Italy was found in the PD population. Hypertension and diabetes, as for general population, were identified as risk factors for COVID-19 in PD. PD patients did not experience a subjective worsening of symptoms during lockdown period and they were also favorable to telemedicine, albeit we reported a reduced availability to perform it.