Association between Body Mass Index or Serum Albumin and Different Dementia Populations

There is limited understanding of body mass index (BMI) and serum albumin levels in patients with dementia. This study aimed to investigate the association between BMI, serum albumin levels, and dementia in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD).

A total of 336 patients with dementia (173 with AD, 112 with DLB, 51 with PDD) and 220 healthy controls were recruited. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationships between BMI or serum albumin and MMSE scores, as well as neuropathological markers. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the data, adjusting for confounding variables.

Using the highest BMI quartile (≥26.04 kg/m2) and serum albumin quartile (≥41.21 g/L) as reference groups, the lowest BMI quartile (<21.91 kg/m2) was significantly associated with AD (p < 0.001) and DLB (p = 0.003). The lowest serum albumin quartile (≤37.60 g/L) was independently associated with DLB (p < 0.001) and AD (p = 0.006). In AD patients, BMI was associated with Aβ1-42 and p-Tau181 in cerebrospinal fluid after controlling for confounders, while serum albumin was correlated with T-Tau and T-tau/Aβ1-42 (p < 0.05).

Decreased serum albumin and BMI levels are associated with DLB and AD in dementia patients. Although no correlation was found between BMI or serum albumin and MMSE scores, there was a significant association with AD cerebrospinal fluid pathologic markers.