Colonic diverticular disease: A new risk factor for Parkinson's disease?

Abstract

BackgroundColonic diverticular disease is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder. Previous studies have suggested that chronic gastrointestinal tract is involved in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. ObjectThis study investigated the potential link between colonic diverticular disease and risk of Parkinson's disease. MethodsData in this nationwide population-based cohort study were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients with colonic diverticular disease were identified from among 23.22 million insured Taiwanese residents who had been diagnosed between 2000 and 2005 and were aged ≥20 years (n = 23367). The comparison cohort included patients without colonic diverticular disease, matched by sex, age, and all comorbidities with the colonic diverticular disease patients cohort (n = 23367). Using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models, we estimated the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for PD with a 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjusting for age, sex, and all of comorbidities. ResultsThe risk of Parkinson's disease was higher in the CDD cohort than in the comparison cohort (HR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.10–1.47). Compared with patients aged ≥65 years without CDD, the CDD patients in the equal age group had a 1.25-fold increased risk of PD (95% CI = 1.07–1.46). ConclusionColonic diverticular disease may be associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. Thus, the risk of this neurodegenerative disease should be considered in patients with colonic diverticular disease.