Description of Event or Problem · 1
JOURNAL REFERENCE: SCHUPBACH M, WELTER ML, BONNET AM, ET AL. MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSONS DISEASE TREATED BY STIMULATION OF THE SUBTHALAMIC NUCLEUS. MOV DISORD. 2006; 22(2):257-261. THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE RESULTS OF A STUDY INVOLVING 171 PATIENTS BEING TREATED WITH BILATERAL DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION (DBS) FOR SYMPTOMS RELATED TO ADVANCED PARKINSONS DISEASE. THE GOAL OF THE STUDY WAS TO ASSESS MORTALITY AND CAUSES OF DEATH. STUDY PATIENTS WERE EVALUATED UNTIL DEATH OR JULY 2005. FOREIGN MORTALITY RATES AND UNITED STATES HISTORICAL COMPARISONS WERE USED. SIXTEEN PATIENTS DIED DURING THE STUDY PERIOD. EIGHT DEATHS WERE CLASSIFIED AS UNRELATED TO DBS TREATMENT. TWO WERE THOUGHT TO HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIP TO DBS TREATMENT AND THE SIX REMAINING COULD NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME RELATIONSHIP TO DBS THERAPY. A MALE PT EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPLAINED SUDDEN DEATH WHILE BATHING, DROWNING WAS RULED OUT, AUTOPSY UNREVEALING. COMORBITIES INCLUDED UNNOTICED MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION AND CHRONIC GASTRITIS.