Physical performance and DEXA-derived body composition in adults with Parkinson's disease participating in a...

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder strongly associated with ageing that directly affects mobility and physical function. Although regular exercise is widely recognized as an important strategy to attenuate functional decline, limited evidence has simultaneously examined physical performance and body composition assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in adults with Parkinson's disease participating in community-based exercise programs, particularly in Latin American settings. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. Adults with PD participating in a community-based exercise program and community-dwelling older adults were evaluated. Physical performance was assessed using gait speed, handgrip strength, the five-times chair stand test, the single-leg balance test (SLBT), the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, the 2-minute step test, and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed using DEXA. Propensity score matching was applied using body mass index (BMI) and sex. Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlations, and multiple linear regression models were used for data analysis. Adults with PD showed significantly lower physical performance than community-dwelling older adults, with gait speed exhibiting the largest between-group difference. In the present model, Parkinson's disease status was the strongest negative predictor of gait speed, whereas muscle strength and functional endurance were positively associated with locomotor performance. DEXA-derived lean mass was not independently associated with gait speed. Within the present sample, adults with PD participating in a community-based exercise program exhibited lower physical performance than community-dwelling older adults. Parkinson's disease status emerged as the strongest predictor of gait speed, whereas muscle strength and functional endurance were positively associated with mobility performance.