BACKGROUND:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce dopaminergic neuron degeneration in animal models of Parkinson disease (PD). However, no epidemiological data have been available on NSAID use and the risk of PD.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate prospectively whether the use of nonaspirin NSAIDs or aspirin is associated with decreased PD risk.

DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PARTICIPANTS:

Prospective cohorts of 44 057 men and 98 845 women free of PD, stroke, or cancer (Health Professionals Follow-up Study, 1986-2000, and Nurses' Health Study, 1980-1998). Main Outcome Measure Newly diagnosed PD.

RESULTS:

We documented 415 incident PD cases (236 men and 179 women). Participants who reported regular use of nonaspirin NSAIDs at the beginning of the study had a lower risk of PD than nonregular users during the follow-up; the pooled multivariate relative risk was 0.55 (95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.96, P =.04). Compared with nonusers, a nonsignificantly lower risk of PD was also observed among men and women who took 2 or more tablets of aspirin per day (relative risk, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-1.21).

CONCLUSION:

These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that use of NSAIDs may delay or prevent the onset of PD.