Anxiety has been less extensively studied than depression in Parkinson's disease (PD). The DoPaMiP survey allowed assessing simultaneously anxiety and depressive symptoms in PD and comparing correlations of both symptoms with clinical and therapeutic features of the disease. Cross sectional survey conducted prospectively in 450 ambulatory nondemented PD patients and 98 patients with other disorders than PD. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), parkinsonism using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Other clinical factors were measured using a structured standardized examination/questionnaire. The mean HADS-A (anxiety) subscore was higher in PD patients than in the others (8.2 +/- 3.9 vs. 6.5 +/- 3.2, P < 10(-4)) as was the HADS-D (depressive) subscore (6.6 +/- 3.8 vs. 3.9 +/- 3.2, P < 10(-4)). Patients with possible/probable anxious signs (HADS-A >or= 8) were more prevalent in PD (51% vs. 29%, P < 10(-4)) as were those with depressive symptoms (40% vs. 10%, P < 10(-4)). Conversely, anxiolytic and antidepressant medications consumption was not different between the 2 groups. Patients with anxious symptoms were more frequently female and younger than those without such symptoms, while those with depressive symptoms had more severe indices of parkinsonism, more comorbidities and lower cognitive function (Mini Mental State Exam). The logistic regression model revealed that patients with depressive symptoms received more frequently levodopa and less frequently a dopamine agonist. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were more frequent in PD patients than in medical control group. Both symptoms were commonly associated in the same PD patients, but were correlated with different clinical/therapeutic features, suggesting different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.
BackgroundExplicit criteria for determining potentially inappropriate medication consumption in elderly were elaborated by Beers et al. These lists have been used worldwide to evaluate medical prescriptions but there is little epidemiologic evidence demonstrating negative consequences of inappropriate medication use. It has been reported that some drugs could increase the risk of falls, which are a frequent and serious problem in elderly population. We aimed to evaluate the association between the use of potentially inappropriate medications and the risk of falls.MethodsThe 3C Study is a multicentre prospective cohort study conducted in France with 4 years of follow-up. Non-institutionalized men and women aged 65 years or over (N = 6343) were randomly selected from electoral rolls. Data on socio-demographic, medical characteristics and medication use (based on self-reports and data from the national healthcare insurance) were collected. Use of inappropriate medication for elderly was defined from established criteria. Data about falls were collected at the two follow-up examinations (2 years and 4 years after baseline). The association between the exposure to inappropriate medications and the risk of falls was evaluated using multivariate models (Cox model and logistic regression).Results32% of subjects reported inappropriate medication use at baseline and 29% at least two of the three examinations; 22% had fallen 2 times or more during follow-up. Overall, inappropriate medication users had an increased risk of falling. This increase was mainly due to the use of long-acting benzodiazepines (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.4, 95% confidence interval: [1.1–1.8], in both occasional and regular users), other inappropriate psychotropics (adjusted OR = 1.7 [1.7–2.7] in regular users), or medication with anticholinergic properties (adjusted OR = 1.6 [1.2–2.1] in regular users). Neither occasional, nor regular use of short- or intermediate-acting benzodiazepines was associated with an increased risk of falling. Further analysis in long-acting benzodiazepines users did not show any dose-effect relation between the number of prescriptions filled over a 3-year period and the risk of falling.ConclusionOur study showed that use of inappropriate medications was associated with an increased risk of falling in elderly persons. This increase was mainly due to long-acting benzodiazepines and other inappropriate psychotropics, and to medications with anticholinergic properties.
Despite precautions, warnings and attempts to limit use, there remains a high proportion of long-term BZD users in the general French population, especially in the elderly. Our findings add to the weight of opinion that messages concerning proper use of BZDs certainly need to be clarified and amplified.
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