Upper GI Mucosal Damage Tied to Later Parkinson Disease Diagnosis

Authors say increased vigilance is warranted for patients with mucosal damage

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A history of upper gastrointestinal mucosal damage (MD) is associated with a higher subsequent risk for developing Parkinson disease (PD), according to a study published online Sept. 5 in JAMA Network Open.

Jocelyn J. Chang, from Tufts University in Boston, and colleagues evaluated the association between upper endoscopy findings of MD (erosions, esophagitis, ulcers, or peptic injury) and a subsequent clinical PD diagnosis. The analysis included 9,350 individuals undergoing upper endoscopy with biopsy from 2000 through 2005, with follow-up through July 31, 2023.

The researchers found that at baseline, patients with MD were more likely to have a history of Helicobacter pylori infection, proton pump inhibitor use, chronic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, gastroesophageal reflux disease, smoking, constipation, and dysphagia. During a mean 14.9 years of follow-up, patients with MD were more likely to develop PD (incident rate ratio, 4.15; P < 0.001) versus those without MD, even when adjusting for covariates (hazard ratio, 1.76; P = 0.01). PD risk was also higher for those with constipation, dysphagia, older age, and a higher Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Index.

“Increased vigilance among patients with MD for future PD risk may be warranted,” the authors wrote.

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