Nutritional and global indexes of progression in dementia: a 12-month prospective study.
BACKGROUND
To assess the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the progression of dementia.


METHODS
Sixty elderly outpatients with untreated dementia followed for 12 months. All patients underwent clinical, cognitive, functional, and nutritional assessment at the baseline and after 12 months. Patients were divided into 2 groups by baseline BMI (< or ≥25 kg/m(2)).


RESULTS
Participants with a baseline BMI ≥25 kg/m(2) had significantly higher Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores (21 ± 5.1 vs 15.9 ± 5.5; P < .001), while clinical dementia rating (CDR) and multidimensional prognostic index (MPI) scores were similar in the 2 groups. After 12 months, the MMSE score decreased significantly in both groups compared to the baseline, while the CDR and MPI scores increased significantly for patients with a baseline BMI <25 kg/m(2).


CONCLUSIONS
A BMI cutoff of 25 kg/m(2) could be useful for identifying frail patients with dementia who will experience a more rapid global impairment, which could be assessed adequately using multidimensional evaluation tools.
Department of Medicine, DIMED, Division of Geriatrics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Coin
Francesco
F
Bolzetta
Marina
M
De Rui
Nicola
N
Veronese
Serena
S
Granziera
Agostino
A
Girardi
Enzo
E
Manzato
Giuseppe
G
Sergi
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index