Is a Single Clinic Visit Enough to Establish a Diagnosis of Parkinson Disease?

No, as more than 10% of diagnoses change within 3 years of the initial neurology clinic visit.

When clinicians diagnose patients with Parkinson disease (PD), clinical uncertainty is common; the diagnosis can change over time. In this retrospective, longitudinal study, two independent movement disorders neurologists used a chart review to cross-validate diagnoses made by general neurologists in Finland.

Of 1626 patients diagnosed with PD, 172 (10.6%) had a revised diagnosis by the treating neurologist during a median follow-up of 10 years. Revisions occurred from 3 to 33 months after initial PD diagnosis. For 44 of the patients, chart review or neuropathology findings led to the revision. Vascular parkinsonism, progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, and undetermined parkinsonism were the most common diagnostic revisio…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)