Determinants of diagnostic latency in Chinese people with Parkinson’s disease

BACKGROUND: Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) has always lagged behind clinical symptoms. The diagnostic latency might be influenced by many factors. The diagnostic latency of Chinese people with PD has been unknown. Here we designed this cross-sectional study with the purpose to identify the diagnostic latency and its determinants in Chinese people with PD. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-one newly diagnosed people with PD were recruited into this study. Demographic and clinical characteristics as well as a detailed clinical history were collected. Motor and non-motor symptoms (NMSs) severity were assessed with appropriate assessment scales. Medical professional types in the first medical consultations were also recorded. According to the initially presenting motor phenotypes, patients would be divided into the groups of rest tremor, limb rigidity, movement slowness and walking problems. The investigated variables would be compared among the four groups. RESULTS: The PD diagnostic latency in China was around 15 months. It closely correlated to the severity of motor symptoms, anxiety and depression as well as the number of NMSs. The diagnostic latency significantly varied among the groups of different motor phenotypes of onset. Finally, initially presenting with limb rigidity, having more NMSs, motor symptoms at a more serious degree and the initial medical consultations with physicians or specialists of non-neurology were considered as determinants of a longer diagnostic latency of PD. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with minor motor symptoms and disturbing NMSs as well as physicians’ unfamiliarity with PD symptomology were determinants of the diagnostic delay of PD. Health education in community and improvement of the referral system might be proper strategies to shorten the diagnostic latency of PD.