Prevalence of Malnutrition in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Comparative Study with Healthy Controls using Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) Questionnaire
Affiliations: 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 | Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden | Student Scientific Research Committee (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Tehran, Iran | Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Note: [] Correspondence to: Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad, Karolinska institutet, Department of neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Novum 5th Floor, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 58589397/Mobile: +46 739302627; Fax: +46 8 58585470; E-mail: sm.fereshtehnejad@ki.se
Abstract: 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.
Keywords: Parkinson's disease, malnutrition, mini nutritional assessment (MNA), prevalence
