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Subjective complaints precede Parkinson disease: the rotterdam study
de Lau LM, Koudstaal PJ, Hofman A, Breteler MM.. Archives of neurology, 2006-01-09
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Neuronal degeneration and dopamine loss in the preclinical phase of Parkinson disease may produce subtle complaints before clinically recognizable symptoms emerge. Objective To examine whether subjective complaints of stiffness, slowness, tremors, or postural imbalance in persons without clinical signs of parkinsonism are related to an increased risk of future Parkinson disease. We recorded subjective complaints of stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, falling, or a feeling of imbalance in a standardized interview of 6038 participants without dementia in whom no parkinsonian signs were found on physical examination at baseline, and we studied them prospectively for the occurrence of incident Parkinson disease.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
de Lau, L. M., Koudstaal, P. J., Hofman, A., & Breteler, M. M. (2006). Subjective complaints precede Parkinson disease: the rotterdam study. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.63.3.noc50312
Vancouver
de Lau LM, Koudstaal PJ, Hofman A, Breteler MM. Subjective complaints precede Parkinson disease: the rotterdam study. Archives of neurology. 2006. doi:10.1001/archneur.63.3.noc50312. PMID: 16401729.
BibTeX
@article{delau2006-16401729,
author = {de Lau, L. M. and Koudstaal, P. J. and Hofman, A. and Breteler, M. M.},
title = {{Subjective complaints precede Parkinson disease: the rotterdam study}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1001/archneur.63.3.noc50312},
pmid = {16401729},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.63.3.noc50312}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Objective To examine whether subjective complaints of stiffness, slowness, tremors, or postural imbalance in persons without clinical signs of parkinsonism are related to an increased risk of future Parkinson disease.
- We recorded subjective complaints of stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, falling, or a feeling of imbalance in a standardized interview of 6038 participants without dementia in whom no parkinsonian signs were found on physical examination at baseline, and we studied them prospectively for the occurrence of incident Parkinson disease.
- Participants A total of 6038 participants who were free of dementia and parkinsonian signs.
- Main outcome measures Incident Parkinson disease.
Why it matters
This Rotterdam Study found that subjective complaints such as stiffness, slowness, tremors, or imbalance in people without parkinsonian signs were related to a higher risk of future Parkinson disease. It concerns Parkinson disease, not Alzheimer's disease, and offers no treatment or cure.
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants6,038
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 6,038 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 86 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.9 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Monique M.B. Breteler: h-index 162 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Erasmus MC: institution h-index 1,321 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16401729) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/archneur.63.3.noc50312
- PubMed: 16401729
- Original source →
- Free full text: RePub (Erasmus University Rotterdam) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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