Referring Parkinson’s disease patients for deep brain stimulation: a RAND/UCLA appropriateness study

In 2005, a European expert panel developed and validated an electronic tool to support the appropriate referral of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) for the consideration of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Since new evidence has become available over the last decade an update of the tool is necessary. A world-wide expert panel (71 neurologists and 11 neurosurgeons) used the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method to assess the appropriateness of referral for 1296 scenarios (9-point scale). Scenarios were permutations of 8 clinical variables relevant to the decision of referral. Appropriateness of referral was calculated on the basis of the median score and the extent of agreement. Compared to 2005, the impact of clinical variables on the appropriateness of referral was similar for severity of on–off fluctuations, dyskinesias and refractory tremor (positive association, p