Combined Effects of Smoking, Coffee, and NSAIDs on
Parkinson’s Disease Risk
Karen M. Powers, BS,
1
Denise M. Kay, PhD,
2
Stewart A. Factor, DO,
3,4
Cyrus P. Zabetian MD, MS,
5,6
Donald S. Higgins, MD,
4
Ali Samii, MD,
6,7
John G. Nutt, MD,
8
Alida Griffith, MD,
9
Berta Leis, PhD,
9
John W. Roberts, MD,
10
Erica D. Martinez, BS,
5,6
Jennifer S. Montimurro, BS,
2
Harvey Checkoway, PhD,
1
and Haydeh Payami, PhD
2
*
1
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University
of Washington, Seattle, Washington
2
Genomics Institute, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
3
Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
4
Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York
5
Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
6
Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
7
Parkinson’s Disease Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
8
Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
9
Booth Gardner Parkinson’s Care Center, Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, Kirkland, Washington
10
Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
Abstract: Inverse associations of Parkinson’s disease (PD)
with cigarette smoking, coffee drinking, and nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drug (NSAID) use have been reported individu-
ally, but their joint effects have not been examined. To quantify
associations with PD for the individual, two-way and three-way
combinations of these factors, a case– control association study
with 1,186 PD patients and 928 controls was conducted. The
study setting was the NeuroGenetics Research Consortium.
Subjects completed a structured questionnaire regarding smok-
ing, coffee, and NSAID consumption. Odds ratios were calcu-
lated using unconditional logistic regression. Smoking, coffee,
and over the counter NSAID use as individual factors exhibited
significantly reduced risks of 20% to 30%. The two-way and
three-way combinations were associated with risk reduction of
37% to 49%, and 62%, respectively. Smoking and coffee
exhibited significant inverse risk trends with increasing cumu-
lative exposures, suggesting dose–response relations. With re-
spect to the combination of all three exposures, persons who
were at the highest exposure strata for smoking and coffee and
used NSAIDs had an estimated 87% reduction in risk (OR =
0.13, 95% CI = 0.06 – 0.29). Whether this finding reflects true
biologic protection needs to be investigated. © 2007 Movement
Disorder Society
Key words: Parkinson’s disease; smoking; coffee; NSAIDs;
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Reduced Parkinson’s disease (PD) risk among ciga-
rette smokers, with strong evidence for inverse dose–
response gradients, has been demonstrated consistently.
1
Inverse associations with PD risk have also been ob-
served for caffeine intake, albeit not as consistently as
with smoking.
1-4
Results of associations for nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and PD have been
mixed, with some studies suggesting a reduced risk and
others finding no association.
5-8
The combined effects of
smoking, coffee drinking and NSAIDs have not been
reported previously. Here we present findings from a
case– control study on the individual and combined ef-
fects of smoking, coffee, and NSAIDs on PD risk.
*Correspondence to: Haydeh Payami, Genomics Institute, Wads-
worth Center, New York State Department of Health, PO Box 22002
Albany, NY 12201-2002. E-mail: hpayami@wadsworth.org
Received 14 June 2007; Revised 18 September 2007; Accepted 21
September 2007
Published online 6 November 2007 in Wiley InterScience (www.
interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/mds.21782
Movement Disorders
Vol. 23, No. 1, 2008, pp. 88-95
© 2007 Movement Disorder Society
88