Individuals with diabetes for less than five years had an 18.5 percent higher risk of Parkinson’s disease compared to those without diabetes. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent study has shown that the people with diabetes for longer periods of time have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Rhee Sang-youl, a professor at Kyung Hee University Hospital, revealed on Thursday that this fact was confirmed after analyzing the correlation between the duration of diabetes and the risk of Parkinson’s disease on the basis of data from about 1,500 people over 40 years of age who took a medical test between 2009 and 2010.
The study showed that the individuals who suffered from diabetes for more than five years had a 61.8 percent higher risk of Parkinson’s disease than those who did not have diabetes.
Individuals with diabetes for less than five years had an 18.5 percent higher risk of Parkinson’s disease compared to those without diabetes.
In addition, individuals with impaired fasting glucose, which is considered an early stage of diabetes, also turned out to have a 3.8 percent higher risk.
Even when other factors that can impact the occurrence of Parkinson’s disease are controlled, the duration of diabetes showed a correlative relation with the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
“This study can provide an important academic basis indicating that diabetes can contribute to increasing the risk of Parkinson’s disease,” Rhee said.
The results of the study were published in the September edition of the international academic journal Diabetes Care.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
