OBJECTIVES: Young-onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) is a rare subtype of Parkinson’s disease (PD), characterized by the onset of motor symptoms occurring below 50 years of age. PD presents a major economic burden to patients and wider society, but limited evidence exists regarding the economic burden of YOPD. This study aims to determine the economic burden of patients who are affected by PD at a young age.

METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for articles published until May 6, 2022. All the relevant studies reporting cost data for YOPD were considered for inclusion. No restriction was applied on the publication date. Two reviewers independently searched for articles and extracted data, adjudicating results through consensus.

RESULTS: Of the 107 identified publications, two US-based studies met the inclusion criteria. Using information from nationally representative surveys, Kowal et al. 2013 reported the total mean direct medical costs of $136,000,000 ($13,344 per patient) in 2010 for patients aged 20-44 years. Accordingly, total estimated mean indirect medical costs were $168,000,00 ($16,164 per patient). Furthermore, there was a significant increase in productivity loss due to missed workdays (Coefficient: 1.06, standard error: 0.52, p=0.042). Using administrative claims data for 2014 and 2015, Prada et al. 2020 reported that median direct costs per patient for patients aged 30-39 years increased by 75% in 2015 (p=0.094), from $710 (IQR: $2,016-282) to $1,244 (IQR: $2,880-811). Likewise, for patients aged 40-49 years, median direct costs per patient increased by 80% in 2015 (p=0.424), from $909 (IQR: $2,839-380) to $1,633 (IQR: $3,178-377). In both the studies costs were substantially higher in PD patients aged >50 years.

CONCLUSIONS: Limited evidence was identified on the economic burden in YOPD patients which inhibited to drawing of reliable conclusions. More studies are needed to fully assess the economic impact of YOPD concerning direct and indirect costs.