Prevalence of malnutrition in patients with Parkinson's disease: a comparative study with healthy controls using Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire.
BACKGROUND
The magnitude of malnutrition in the Parkinson's disease (PD) population has yet to be accurately quantified.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to estimate and compare the prevalence of malnourished and those at risk of malnutrition in Iranian PD patients with a matched control group using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and anthropometric measurements.


METHODS
Nutritional status was evaluated in 143 Iranian PD patients (case group) and 145 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (control group) using the validated Persian version of the MNA. Individuals suffering from chronic comorbidities influencing nutritional state (hypertension and diabetes), following special diets and those with cognitive impairment were excluded. Using the MNA, a total score of <17 indicated malnutrition and scores of 17-23.5 signified cases at risk for malnutrition.


RESULTS
The mean of total MNA score was not significantly different between two study groups [24.4 (SD = 3.8) in controls vs. 25.1 (SD = 3.4) in PD patients; P = 0.094]. Three (2.1%) PD patients were suffering from malnutrition and another 37 (25.9%) were at risk of malnutrition; while in control group similar feature was observed (2.0% malnourished and 35.2% at risk of malnutrition; P = 0.228). The mean of calf circumference (CC) was significantly lower in PD patients [34.9 (SD = 3.8) cm vs. 36.0 (SD = 5.1) cm; P = 0.046].


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate the same nutritional status among mild to moderate PD patients compared with healthy controls. However, more than a quarter of the PD population was found to be at risk of malnutrition necessitating more attention towards nutritional assessment in PD.
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Firoozgar Clinical Research Development Center (FCRDC), Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed-Mohammad
SM
Fereshtehnejad
Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ladan
L
Ghazi
Student Scientific Research Committee (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Motahhareh
M
Sadeghi
Firoozgar Clinical Research Development Center (FCRDC), Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Dena
D
Khaefpanah
Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Gholam Ali
GA
Shahidi
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Tehran, Iran.
Ahmad
A
Delbari
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Johan
J
Lökk
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence
Parkinson's disease; malnutrition; mini nutritional assessment (MNA); prevalence