Hidden symptoms drive up Parkinson's care costs faster than motor decline

Background : Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with substantial costs that escalate as the disease progresses. Previous research has explored the relationship between disease progression, motor symptoms, and the economic burden of PD. However, there is a lack of studies focusing on the relationship between costs and non-motor symptoms (NMS).  Objective : To examine the association between societal costs and NMS in individuals with PD in Sweden.  Methods : Persons with idiopathic PD in the Swedish Parkinson’s disease registry from the region of Skåne with registrations of non-motor symptoms questionnaire (NMSQ) were included. Identified subjects were linked to administrative health care data registries, to estimate annual costs. A generalized linear model was used to assess the relationship between NMS and costs.  Results : NMS were present in 74% (n = 703) of the study population, with a mean of 6.9 symptoms per observation. The number of NMS increased with disease duration, and costs were higher for those with a greater number of symptoms. Formal care costs were 3.8 times higher in observations with at least 10 NMS. Experiencing hallucinations and/or delusions was associated with an 80–94% increase in total costs, corresponding to an additional SEK 107,000–121,000 per patient year.  Conclusions : Presence of NMS in PD is associated with substantial societal costs. Findings from this study highlight the necessity for comprehensive management strategies that address both motor and non-motor symptoms to potentially alleviate the burden on patients and the healthcare system.