Association between β2-Adrenoreceptor Medications and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis

Background and Objective: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by an accumulation of Lewy bodies and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The treatment options currently available are only partly effective and fail to restore the lost dopaminergic neurons or slow the progression. β2-adrenoceptors (β2AR) are widely expressed in various human tissues and organs, regulate many important metabolic functions, and are targeted for treatment of various diseases. Studies have reported a link between chronic use of the β2AR antagonist propranolol and an increased risk of PD, and chronic use of β2AR agonists has been associated with a decreased risk of PD. We conducted a meta-analysis on the association between both β2AR agonist level and β2AR antagonist level and the risk of PD. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive electronic search was conducted on the databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalKey from the start of each database until 30 June 2021. The objective was to identify prospective cohort and case–control studies that have reported on the association between β-adrenoceptor agonist level, antagonist level, and PD risk. Results: A meta-analysis of the data extracted from eight studies revealed that β2AR agonist use was associated with reduced PD risk (RR = 0.859, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.741–0.995. p = 0.043). Compared with the control group, β2AR antagonist use was associated with an increased risk of PD (RR = 1.490, 95% CI, 1.195 to 1.857. p < 0.005). Propranolol, a type of β2AR antagonist, was related to an increased risk of PD (RR = 2.820, 95% CI, 2.618 to 3.036. p < 0.005). Conclusions: In this meta-analysis, β2AR agonists were associated with a decreased risk of PD, and β2AR antagonists were related with an increased risk of PD. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and an evaluation of the long-term effects of varying dosages of medications are needed.