Case-Control Study of Environmental Risk Factors for Parkinson's Disease in Belgium

• Published in: European journal of epidemiology Vol. 18; no. 12; pp. 1133 - 1142
• Main Authors: Pals, Philippe, Van Everbroeck, Bart, Grubben, Bart, Viaene, Maria Kristina, Dom, René, van der Linden, Chris, Santens, Patrick, Martin, Jean Jacques, Cras, Patrick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers 2003; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Belgium - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cigar smoking; Cigarette smoking; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Demography; Environmental Exposure; Environmental impact; Environmental risk; Environmental studies; Epidemiology; Etiology; Female; Health risk assessment; Humans; Life Style; Male; Medical sciences; Metallurgy; Middle Aged; Neurological Diseases; Neurology; Parkinson disease; Parkinson Disease - etiology; Parkinson's disease; Pesticides; Predisposing factors; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Spouses; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Toluene; Zinc; Belgium; Europe; Human; Nervous system diseases; Pesticides; Parkinson disease; Case control study; Gender; Epidemiology; Cerebral disorder; Health and environment; Diet; Organophosphates and comorbidity; Central nervous system disease; Risk factor; Degenerative disease; Public health; Geographical variation; Extrapyramidal syndrome; Smoking
• ISSN: 0393-2990; 1573-7284
• DOI: 10.1023/B:EJEP.0000006639.05690.92

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).