Risk for Parkinson's Disease in Patients with Behcet's Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Dynamic Cohort Study in Korea

Background: Although several studies have reported a correlation between Behcet's disease (BD) and Parkinson's disease, this association has not yet been clarified. Objective: To determine the risk of Parkinson's disease in patients with BD. Methods: BD patients (n = 17,179; mean age, 51.12 +/- 8.09 years; male, 34.95%) without known previous diagnosis of Parkinson's disease were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Database between 2010 and 2013. An age- and gender-matched control population of individuals without BD was randomly sampled at a ratio of 3: 1 (n = 34,575). Both cohorts were followed for development of Parkinson's disease until 2015. Results: Among a total of 11,525 BD patients, 50 (0.43%) developed Parkinson's disease, whereas only 51 among the 34,575 individuals in the non-BD group developed Parkinson's (0.15%, P < 0.0001). The incidence of Parkinson's disease was significantly higher in BD patients than in controls. In addition, during the follow-up period, patients with BD were more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's disease than those in the non-BD group. Conclusions: BD patients had a higher risk of Parkinson's disease compared to non-BD controls. Physicians should carefully monitor patients with BD for potential development of Parkinson's disease.