A study of the nutritional status of elderly patients with Parkinson's disease.
Patients with Parkinson's disease tend to lose weight although the reasons are uncertain. Fifteen patients with stable Parkinson's disease who had lost at least 5 kg in weight, and 15 age- and sex-matched control subjects were studied. All subjects underwent physical examination, anthropometric measurements, biochemical and haematological screening, measurement of tumour necrosis factor and full dietary assessment. The Parkinson's disease patients who had lost a mean of 6.2 kg had significantly less body fat and a lower total peripheral lymphocyte count than the control subjects. Dietary analysis showed a higher daily intake of calories in the patients which was derived from an increased carbohydrate intake. Tumour necrosis factor was not detected in either the patients or control subjects. Parkinson's disease patients lose weight in spite of an increased calorie intake. This may reflect an increased metabolic rate.
Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral.
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Davies
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha