OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effectiveness of Korean medicine on prevalence and length of hospitalization for Parkinson's disease (PD) and complications management in Republic of Korea.

METHODS: The study was a retrospective cohort analysis, conducted using National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC). Patients over 65 years old who were newly diagnosed with PD (ICD-10-CM: G20) during Jan 2002-Dec 2012 were identified. Treatment group was defined as patients treated with both Korean medicine and conventional medicine, and control group as patients treated with conventional medicine only. From PD diagnosis to Dec 2013, prevalence and length of hospitalization due to PD and major complications (dementia, depression and pneumonia/sepsis) were analysed using Chi-square test and t-test after propensity score (PS) matching with a 1:1 ratio.

RESULTS: After PS estimation and matching, the cohort used in the analysis included 228 subjects (114 treatment group, 114 control group). Sex, age, index year, comorbidity and medication (levodopa, ropinirole, pramipexole, selegiline) were adjusted in both groups. Prevalence of hospitalization due to pneumonia/sepsis was lower in the treatment group compared to the control group (18/114, 15.8% vs 31/114, 27.2%) with statistical significant (p=0.036). Length of hospitalization was also shorter in the treatment group than the control group (1.65±6.09 days vs 3.61±9.95 days) but statistically corresponding with the borderline (p=0.075). The prevalence and length of annual hospitalization due to PD, dementia, and depression in the treatment group showed a better efficacy compared to the control group, but there was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that a combination therapy of Korean medicine and conventional medicine for PD management could be effective comparing to a conventional medicine monoherapy and further investigation is needed.