Parkinson's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Parkinson's Disease, including details on symptoms, treatment, genetics, medication.

Parkinson's disease in China: prevalence in Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai.

Zhang ZX, Roman GC, Hong Z, Wu CB, Qu QM, Huang JB, Zhou B, Geng ZP, Wu JX, Wen HB, Zhao H, Zahner GE

Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. zhangzx@pumch.ac.cn

A cross-sectional prevalence study of Parkinson's disease in China was undertaken in 1997-98. We assessed 29?454 residents aged > or =55 years from 79 rural and 58 urban communities in Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai, who were selected through stratified, multistage, cluster sampling. With a standardised diagnostic protocol, we identified 277 people with the disease. Prevalence of Parkinson's disease for those aged > or =65 years was 1.7% (95% CI 1.5-1.9). We estimate that 1.7 million people in China have the disease (aged > or =55 years). Our findings suggest that prevalence of Parkinson's disease in China is similar to that in developed countries.

Published 14 February 2005 in Lancet, 365(9459): 595-7.
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