title: Nutritional status and body composition by bioelectrical impedance vector analysis: A cross sectional study in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analysis of nutritional status and body composition in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed in a University-Hospital setting, recruiting 59 patients with AD, 34 subjects with MCI and 58 elderly healthy controls (HC). Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric parameters (body mass index; calf, upper arm and waist circumferences), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and body composition by bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA). Variables were analyzed by analysis of variance and subjects were grouped by cognitive status and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sociodemographic variables did not differ among the three groups (AD, MCI and HC), except for females' age, which was therefore used as covariate in a general linear multivariate model. MNA score was significantly lower in AD patients than in HC; MCI subjects achieved intermediate scores. AD patients (both sexes) had significantly (p<0.05) higher height-normalized impedance values and lower phase angles (body cell mass) compared with HC; a higher ratio of impedance to height was found in men with MCI with respect to HC. With BIVA method, MCI subjects showed a significant displacement on the RXc graph on the right side indicating lower soft tissues (Hotelling's T2 test: men = 10.6; women = 7.9;p < 0,05) just like AD patients (Hotelling's T2 test: men = 18.2; women = 16.9; p<0,001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bioelectrical parameters significantly differ from MCI and AD to HC; MCI showed an intermediate pattern between AD and HC. Longitudinal studies are required to investigate if BIVA could reflect early AD-changes in body composition in subjects with MCI.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7831-6791
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cova
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pomati
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maggiore
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forcella
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cucumo
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghiretti
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.affiliation: Dietetic and Clinical Nutrition Unit, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Muzio
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Sciences, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001823:Body Composition; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010992:Plethysmography, Impedance