Title: Risk of Deep Venous Thrombosis in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta‑Analysis of Observational Studies
Authors: Vishnu V. Byroju, Jamir Pitton Rissardo, Jorge Patino, Ana Leticia Fornari Caprara, Andrew McGarry, Ian Walker
Conference: 2026 International Congress of Parkinson's Disease, Seoul, Korea
Objective
To compare the risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) versus non‑PD.
Background
Patients with PD may have an elevated DVT risk due to immobility, autonomic dysfunction, and reduced muscle pumping. However, evidence has been inconsistent across surgical and nonsurgical populations.
Design/Methods
PubMed‑indexed studies reporting DVT incidence in PD versus non‑PD patients were screened. Risk ratios (RRs) were pooled using Mantel‑Haenszel (fixed) and REML (random effects) models. Subgroup analyses included study design, geographic region, and surgery type.
Results
Across 16 studies comprising 819,514 patients, 2,176 DVT events occurred. PD patients demonstrated a significantly higher risk of DVT compared with non‑PD controls (random‑effects RR 2.23, 95% CI 1.41–3.53). Heterogeneity was moderate to high (I² = 67%). Subgroup analyses showed elevated risk in cohort studies (RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.10–1.71) and cross‑sectional studies (RR 6.82, 95% CI 4.05–11.48), while case‑control studies demonstrated a non‑significant association (RR 1.44, 95% CI 0.90–2.31)[Figure 1]. Regionally, the highest risk was observed in Asian studies (RR 6.04, 95% CI 3.26–11.19), followed by North America (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.08–2.71). Associations from Europe (RR 2.41, 95% CI 0.30–19.15) and Australia (RR 3.49, 95% CI 0.38–32.32) were not statistically significant [Figure 2]. By surgical category, nonsurgical cohorts demonstrated the greatest risk (RR 6.07, 95% CI 3.20–11.49), followed by spine surgery (RR 2.45, 95% CI 1.19–5.04) and orthopedic procedures (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.01–1.63). No significant increase in risk was observed for DBS surgery (RR 2.27, 95% CI 0.12–41.75) or mixed surgical groups [Figure 3].
Conclusions
PD is associated with a significantly increased risk of DVT across study types and clinical settings. The magnitude of risk varies by geography and surgical context, suggesting that underlying population and perioperative factors are at play.
Citation
Byroju V, Rissardo JP, Patino J, Caprara AL, McGarry A, Walker I. Risk of Deep Venous Thrombosis in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta‑Analysis of Observational Studies. Mov Disord 2026;41(Suppl_1):S758-S761.
Figure 1. DVT risk in PD across study designs.
Figure 2. DVT risk in PD across regions.
Figure 3. DVT risk in PD across surgery type.