Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis – Prevalence Patterns Across the EU-5

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Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP) is a clinical condition that affects patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and has a spectrum of neuropsychiatric symptoms distinct from the hallmark motor symptoms. Although prior studies have reported on the prevalence of PDP in select European nations, variations in study design complicate study-to-study comparisons. In this study, we surveyed 1,667 medical practitioners across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK (collectively, the EU-5) to estimate the prevalence of PDP or symptoms of psychosis among patients with PD. Analysis of the survey data suggest approximately 29% of the general PD population in the EU-5 exhibit signs of PDP. Among the PD population, country-specific rates of PDP are estimated at 30% in France, 27% in Germany, 34% in Italy, 30% in Spain and 21% in the UK. These rates appear in line with those reported in prior country-specific studies. Results from the subset of 437 neurologists who proceeded to take the full survey suggest the symptoms of PDP are disruptive to patients or their respective caregivers in approximately 53% of cases. These results provide a resource that enables cross-country comparison of PDP rates across these major European nations.