A Case Series on the Effectiveness of Abdominal Belts for Postural Blood Pressure Disorders in Parkinson's Disease

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common non-motor complication of Parkinson's disease (PD), significantly affecting the quality of life and increasing fall risk. While pharmacological treatments are available, their efficacy is often limited. Abdominal belts have been proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention, but their effects on blood pressure (BP) fluctuations remain unclear. In this case series, we examined four patients with PD and OH, all of whom underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) before and after using an abdominal belt. The belt was applied with a pressure of 20 ± 2 mmHg and worn during waking hours. The mean systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) during daytime and nighttime were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. BP variability was assessed. Three patients demonstrated improved BP stability with abdominal belt use, particularly in reducing postprandial hypotension. One patient (Case 1) discontinued use due to discomfort and showed no significant BP changes. In Case 3, SBP increased from 117.85 ± 5.92 mmHg to 162.74 ± 10.80 mmHg (p = 0.002), and DBP from 66.35 ± 3.36 mmHg to 91.19 ± 5.24 mmHg (p = 0.001). Case 4 also exhibited a significant increase in SBP (p = 0.005). However, BP fluctuations persisted, and nocturnal BP remained unchanged. We concluded that the use of an abdominal belt may help stabilize BP in patients with PD and OH during daytime activities, but does not eliminate BP variability. Studies with more patients are needed to confirm these findings and refine recommendations for abdominal belt use in PD management.