Prevalence of Parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease in Qena governorate/Egypt: a cross-sectional community-based survey.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In a previous study we found a high crude prevalence rate (CPR) for Parkinson's disease (PD) in Assiut governorate/Egypt. We therefore surveyed a second Nile valley governorate (Qena) to provide confirmatory evidence for the high prevalence rate of PD in Egypt.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

10 areas in Qena governorate were selected by random sampling to recruit 8027 inhabitants. Positive cases were identified using a modified screening questionnaire, the unified Parkinson disease rating scale (UPDRS), mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the non-motor symptoms scale (NMSS) for PD.

RESULTS

Forty-four patients were identified with Parkinsonism, giving a CPR of 548/10(5) inhabitants. Among them, 35 patients were diagnosed as PD with CPR of 436/10(5); three cases were diagnosed as drug-induced Parkinsonism with CPR 37/10(5); two cases had atherosclerotic Parkinsonism with CPR 25/10(5).Age-specific CPR of PD among population aged ≥ 50 years old was 2534/10(5).The highest age-specific CPR was recorded among subjects ≥ 75 years old. The CPR showed a tendency to be higher in males than females, urban than rural areas and industrial than non-industrial areas (503 vs 363/10(5), 474 vs 389/10(5) and 655 vs 312/10(5), respectively). There was a significantly higher CPR among illiterate than literate persons (1982 vs 299/10(5) with P = 0.00001). About one quarter of patients had cognitive impairment. All cases had positive symptoms in at least one or more NMS Domains.

CONCLUSION

The overall prevalence of PD disease is high in Nile valley governorates of Upper Egypt compared to other Arabic countries.