Delay in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in a Chilean public hospital

• Published in: Revista medíca de Chile Vol. 143; no. 7; pp. 870 - 873
• Main Authors: Lay-Son, Luis, Eloiza, Claudio, Trujillo-Godoy, Osvaldo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Chile 01.07.2015
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Chile; Cross-Sectional Studies; Delayed Diagnosis; Female; Hospitals, Public; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parkinson Disease - diagnosis; Prospective Studies; Severity of Illness Index; Socioeconomic Factors; Chile
• ISSN: 0717-6163
• DOI: 10.4067/S0034-98872015000700007

Early diagnosis is fundamental in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) to improve their quality of life. To determine the latency in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) after the onset of motor symptoms. Prospective study carried out during 16 months in a public hospital. Two hundred newly diagnosed patients aged 41 to 90 years (50% women), were included and analyzed. The lapse between the first symptom -more commonly tremor- and the diagnosis made by a neurologist ranged from 1 to 84 months (19.1 ± 13.8). In 39% of patients, it was done in the first year, in 26% during the second year and in 35% of patients, it took more than two years. The referral by a general practitioner had a delay ranging from 1 to 36 months. Sixty nine and 95% of patients were evaluated within the first 6 months after referral if they came from primary care or the same hospital, respectively. Twenty six percent of patients were classified in stages III to V of Hoehn & Yahr's staging and the Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor examination ranged from 5 to 81 points, mean 24 (± 12.8). The diagnosis of PD has a delay in a public hospital that could be influenced by the referral system.