Determinant factors of sarcopenia in individuals with Parkinson's disease

Evaluate the occurrence of sarcopenia and determinant factors in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a city in northeastern Brazil.

Case series with 77 men and women (adults and older adults) with PD. The risk of sarcopenia was determined using the SARC-F and SARC-CalF screening tools. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was based on the new consensus published by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2). Sarcopenic obesity was diagnosed based on the criteria proposed by Stenholm. Disease stage and severity were determined using the Hoehn and Yahr scale and the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale, respectively.

The prevalence of sarcopenia was 19.5% and was associated with age, poor performance on activities of daily living and poor nutritional status. No significant association was found between the SARC-F score and the diagnosis of sarcopenia. The main factors that determined the variation in the parameters for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in the present sample were age, disease severity, body weight, and SARCF score.

Despite the low prevalence in the present study, sarcopenia progresses with the worsening of the nutritional status and functional capacity of individuals with PD. Further studies are needed on the factors involved in the genesis of sarcopenia. The SARC-F questionnaire is related to parameters for the diagnosis and severity of sarcopenia as well as the severity of PD.