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Case–control study of environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease in Belgium

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Abstract

The aetiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown and said to be multifactorial. We report on a retrospective epidemiological case control study, performed in Flanders during a 3-year period, investigating known and potential environmental risk factors for PD by means of questionnaires. We investigated 423 prevalent patients and 205 spouse-controls. We found familial occurrence in 15% of the patients, a mean age of onset of 58 years, and a clear male preponderance (male/female ratio 1.53). Our results suggest more nulliparity among female PD patients (95% CI: 1.08–5.76). We found a discrete clustering of patients in areas with intensive metallurgic activity. Patients were more frequently employed in metallurgy than controls (95% CI: 1.04–9.20). Furthermore, patients were clearly more exposed to zinc (95% CI: 1.51–90.90) and toluene (95% CI: 1.03–58.82). Male patients report more prostatectomy-surgery (95% CI: 1.54–17.24).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Neurobiology, Born Bunge Foundation, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Philippe Pals, Bart Van Everbroeck & Patrick Cras

  2. Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium

    Philippe Pals, Bart Grubben & René Dom

  3. Department of Occupational Medicine, Neurotoxicology Section, University Hospital St. Raphaël, Belgium

    Maria Kristina Viaene

  4. Department of Neurology, AZ St. Lucas Ziekenhuis, Belgium

    Chris van der Linden

  5. Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, Gent, Belgium

    Patrick Santens & Patrick Cras

  6. Laboratory of Neuropathology, Born Bunge Foundation, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Jean Jacques Martin & Patrick Cras

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  1. Philippe Pals
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  2. Bart Van Everbroeck
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Pals, P., Van Everbroeck, B., Grubben, B. et al. Case–control study of environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease in Belgium. Eur J Epidemiol 18, 1133–1142 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EJEP.0000006639.05690.92

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EJEP.0000006639.05690.92

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