Parkinson's disease mortality in Italy, 1951 through 1987. Analysis of an increasing trend.

Parkinson's disease mortality was analyzed in Italy for the period from 1951 through 1987. The adjusted mortality was 4.27 and 2.77/100,000 population, respectively, for men and women. Adjusted rates increased in both sexes (63% increase in men and 80% in women in 1983 through 1987 vs 1951 through 1952). Age-specific mortality increased in subjects aged over 75 years and decreased in those under 64 years. The analysis by birth cohorts demonstrated higher rates in the cohorts born between 1890 and 1910 than in those born before and after that period. Even if these changes in Parkinson's disease mortality might reflect better case ascertainment and the increase of life expectancy of patients with Parkinson's disease, there is some evidence that the temporal variation is associated with the changing experiences of different birth cohorts.