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Two hundred and forty-nine patients with Parkinson's disease previously examined by Mutch et al 1,2 were followed up three and a half years after the original study. Cognitive impairment, age, some postural signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease and high scores on the Hoehn and Yahr scale predicted premature death. Patients were more likely to die from respiratory infections than controls. Respiratory diseases as cause of death recorded on the death certificate were not related to kyphosis, posture scores or Hoehn and Yahr scores before death. The hypothesis is advanced that death of respiratory causes might be associated with signs of general autonomic dysregulation.

Original publication

DOI

10.1177/003693309003500605

Type

Journal article

Journal

Scott Med J

Publication Date

12/1990

Volume

35

Pages

173 - 175

Keywords

Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cause of Death, Cross-Sectional Studies, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Parkinson Disease, Respiratory Tract Infections, Scotland, Survival Rate