Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Parkinson Disease

Although the notion that quelling inflammation might reduce PD risk is biologically plausible, it has yet to be proved.

A therapy that stops or slows Parkinson disease (PD) progression is a major unmet medical need. These authors, noting that markers of inflammation have been reported in the brains and CSF of patients with PD, investigated whether patients who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a reduced risk for PD.

In a population-based, case-control study, the authors examined NSAID use in 293 patients with PD and 286 age-, race-, and sex-matched controls. Participants completed a questionnaire and were then interviewed by examiners blinded to subjects’ PD status to obtain data on demographics and use of NSAIDs.

The authors found that regular use (defined as at least 2 pills a week for at least 1 month during the person’s lifetime) of b…

Reviewing Author

C. Warren Olanow, MD

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Parkinson Disease

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Reviewing Author