Mini Nutritional Assessment in patients with Parkinson's disease: correlation between worsening of the malnutrition and increasing number of disease-years.
OBJECTIVE
To monitor the nutritional status of patients with Parkinson's disease using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire.


METHODS
This was a 3-year longitudinal study conducted in a national referral centre for Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. The cohort included 61 Parkinson's disease patients, 37 men and 24 women, mean age of 70.5 +/- 5.5 years, mean duration of disease 9 +/- 6.3 years; 35 patients were followed-up after 3 years.


RESULTS
MNA score diminished from 24.9 +/- 1.6 to 24 +/- 2.5 (P = 0.02); the proportion of patients at risk of malnutrition increased from 22.9% to 34.3%. A linear correlation was observed between MNA score and the duration of disease (P = 0.0096). The dietary assessment subscore significantly diminished (8.6 versus 8.1; P = 0.0009) as did body mass index (25.9 +/- 3.5 kg/m(2) versus 27.1 +/- 3.1 kg/m(2); P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The evaluation of nutritional status should be part of the routine work-up of a Parkinson's disease patient. Dietary education should be included amongst the therapeutic measures designed to improve the general conditions in Parkinson's disease.
Barichella
Michela
M
Parkinson Institute, Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento, Milan, Italy; Nutrition Unit, Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento, Milan, Italy. m.barichella@icp.mi.it
Villa
Maria Chiara
MC
Massarotto
Arianna
A
Cordara
Sara Elisabetta
SE
Marczewska
Agnieszka
A
Vairo
Antonella
A
Baldo
Cinzia
C
Mauri
Andrea
A
Savardi
Chiara
C
Pezzoli
Gianni
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss