Corticobasal Degeneration - Occurrence and Epidemiology

Occurrence and Epidemiology

Clinical presentation of CBD usually does not occur until age 60, with the earliest recorded diagnosis and subsequent postmortem verification being age 28. Although men and women present with the disease, some analysis has shown a predominant appearance of CBD in women. Current calculations suggest that the prevalence of CBD is approximately 4.9 to 7.3 per 100,000 people. The prognosis for an individual diagnosed with CBD is death within approximately eight years, although some patients have been diagnosed over 13 years ago (1999) and are still in relatively good standing, but with serious debilitation such as dysphagia, and overall limb rigidity. The partial (or total) use of a feeding tube may be necessary and will help prevent aspiration pneumonia, primary cause of death in CBD. Incontinence is common, as patients often can't express their need to go, due to eventual loss of speech. Therefore proper hygiene is mandatory to prevent urinary tract infections. ref name = Mahapatra>Mahapatra RK, Edwards MJ, Schott JM, Bhatia KP. 2004. Corticobasal degeneration. Lancet Neurology 3:736-43