title: Body composition in advanced-stage Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Little is known about body composition in Parkinson's disease (PD). We studied 35 patients (20 male, 15 female subjects; mean age 69.7+/-5.8 years) with advanced PD by anthropometry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and serum 25-OH vitamin D measurement. Over 70% of patients had a disease duration of more than 4 years; all were on L-dopa treatment. Low levels of serum 25-OH vitamin D were present in 41% of the patients. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.3+/-4.3 kg/m(2) (range 17.1-37.3). Mid-arm muscle circumference was below the 10th percentile in 23%. For whole-body mean (+/-SD) bone mineral density, the T score was below -1 SD in 35% of patients, and the Z score was below -1 SD in 24%. Percent fat mass measured with DEXA was 30.6+/-11.4% (range 10.1-45.5) in the overall sample; it was 21.1+/-8.8% (range 10.1-30.4) in male subjects and 38.1+/-9.2% (range 25.8-45.5) in female subjects. We conclude that advanced-stage PD may show excess adiposity coexisting with depletion of lean body mass (sarcopenic obesity), in addition to decreased whole-body bone mineral density associated with low serum 25-OH vitamin D. A low level of physical activity and inadequate exposure to sunlight are likely to be among the putative causes.
authors: Nutrition Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, I-28044, Verbania, Italy. dietologia_pcv@auxologico.it
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Petroni
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Albani
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Bicchiega
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Baudo
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Vinci
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Montesano
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Izzo
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Bertocco
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Mazzotta
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Zorzetto
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Balzola
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mauro
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D007980:Levodopa