Does stimulus predict the best candidates for deep brain stimulation for PD?

Background Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is used for people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) who are experiencing motor complications that are not controlled by medication. To date, PD SURG is the largest trial to compare DBS to best medical therapy in PwPD. Outcomes to DBS for PwPD are varied and there is an ongoing question as whether patient selection can be improved. To date, subgroup analyses have not been powered to provide an answer. An algorithm (STIMULUS) was designed to try to identify suitable candidates for DBS for PD symptoms based on the clinical opinion of an expert panel. The PD SURG data set provides an opportunity to test the ability of STIMULUS to predict suitable candidates.