Clinical and genetic analysis of Vietnamese patients diagnosed with early‐onset Parkinson's disease

Abstract Background Genetic factors play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no comprehensive study has described genetic alterations in Vietnamese patients diagnosed with PD. This study aimed to identify genetic causes and their association with clinical phenotypes in a Vietnamese PD cohort. Methods A total of 83 patients with early‐onset PD (disease onset before the age of 50) were recruited for genetic analysis using a combination of multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification and next‐generation sequencing for a panel of 20 PD‐associated genes. Results It was found that 37 out of 83 patients carried genetic alterations, with 24 pathogenic/likely pathogenic/risk variants and 25 variants of uncertain significance. The pathogenic/likely pathogenic/risk variants were mostly detected in LRRK2, PRKN, and GBA, while the variants of uncertain significance were identified in 12 different genes that were studied. The most common genetic alteration was LRRK2 c.4883G>C (p.Arg1628Pro), and patients with PD carrying this variant were found to have a distinct phenotype. Participants carrying pathogenic/likely pathogenic/risk variants had a significantly higher rate of a family history of PD. Conclusion These results provide a further understanding of genetic alterations associated with PD in a South‐East Asian population.