Daniele Urso1, Annamaria Mauro1, Valentina Gnoni1, Alessia Giugno1, Eleonora Rollo1, Renato Sambati2, Giuseppe De Santis2, Maria Alessandria2, Brigida Coluccia2, Nadia Panico2, Davide Vilella1, Stefano Giannoni-Luza1, Giancarlo Logroscino1
1University of Bari, 2ASL Lecce
Objective:
This study aimed to estimate the incidence of DLB in the Italian general population using updated diagnostic criteria, and to explore its distribution by age and sex.
Background:
Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is recognized as the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Despite this, epidemiological data on DLB in the general population, particularly its incidence across different age and sex groups, remains limited.
Design/Methods:
This is an incidence study conducted between March 1, 2023, and August 31, 2024, utilizing a population-based registry in Salento, Italy. The study captured all newly diagnosed DLB cases within a population of 767,356 person-years. Each patient’s records were reviewed, and the incidence was standardized to the Italian population as of 2024.
Results:
A total of 41 cases of DLB were identified (mean [SD] age 77.02 [6.15] years; 24 males [58.54%]). The crude incidence rate of DLB was 3.56 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 2.55–4.83). The age- and sex-standardized incidence was 3.32 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 2.38–4.50). Incidence rates increased progressively with age, peaking in the 80-84 age group, where the incidence was 18.58 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 6.03–43.36) in women and 41.4 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 17.88–81.60) in men. Overall, DLB incidence was higher in men (4.33 per 100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 2.77–6.44) compared to women (2.85 per 100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 1.66–4.56).
Conclusions:
This study provides valuable population-based data on DLB incidence, demonstrating a marked increase with advancing age, peaking in the eighth decade, and a higher prevalence among men. These findings emphasize the need for enhanced public health strategies and tailored therapeutic interventions. Further large-scale, prospective multinational studies are crucial to deepening our understanding of the global epidemiology of DLB, especially as new treatment options emerge.
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