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OBJECTIVE: To compare the mortality rate in Parkinson's disease (PD) with a control group without PD, and to assess the relationship between mortality and features of PD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety PD patients and 50 controls, mortality ascertained at 11 years follow-up. RESULTS: The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality in PD patients compared with controls was 1.64 (95% CI: 1.21-2.23). Multivariate analysis showed age, dementia and depression were independent predictors of mortality but age at onset of PD and severity of neurological symptoms were not. The HR for age was 1.09 (95% CI: 1.05-1.13), for dementia 1.94 (95% CI: 1.26-2.99), and for depression 2.66 (95% CI: 1.59-4.44). CONCLUSION: Mortality in PD is increased compared with controls. Psychological variables are important predictors of mortality in PD.
Hughes et al. (Fri,) studied this question.