Objective:
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive disease commonly affecting the elderly. Among patients with PD (pwPD), the ones above 60 years old are considered to be high risky in terms of malnutrition. Weight loss is a common complaint in pwPD. Thus, we aimed to define the risk factors of malnutrition in geriatric pw PD.
Materials and Methods:
We enrolled 66 pwPD above the age of 60 years old. Socio-demographic features were recorded, comprehensive geriatric assessments were evaluated. Malnutrition was assessed with mini-nutritional assessment questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements including body mass index, mid- upper arm circumference, calf circumference (CC) was recorded.
Results:
Seven (10.6%) pwPD had malnutrition, 22 (33.3%) pwPD were under the risk of malnutrition. Univariate logistic regression analysis results revealed that low CC, presence of dyskinesia, advanced Hoehn&Yahr stage, levodopa doses of ≥400 mg/day, difficulty in swallowing (p=0.035, p=0.041, p=0.048, p=0.027 and p=0.007, respectively) were strongly related to malnutrition among the pwPD. Difficulty in swallowing was independently related to malnutrition in pwPD [odds ratio: 7.81 (confidence interval: 2.17-28.10), p=0.002].
Conclusion:
PD is the second common neurodegenerative disease in geriatric population that is likely to cause malnutrition as a result of several disabling symptoms in the progressive course of the disease such as dysphagia. To avoid or delay the poorer outcomes, clinicians should be careful to identify malnutrition with appropriate screening tools during follow-up of pwPD.
Keywords: Parkinson disease, geriatric population, malnutrition, risk factors, mini-nutritional assessment