[Body fat loss in patients with Parkinson's disease]

In order to investigate emaciation in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), an anthropometric study was undertaken. In 59 out-patients (29 males, 30 females) with PD, the changes in body weight (delta BW) and in body mass index (delta BMI) were obtained and the ratio of body fat (% Fat) was measured with a bioelectrical impedance method. Twenty-two percent of the patients with PD had lost more than 10 Kg of BW (7% of males, 37% of females) and delta BW was -3.9 +/- 7.1 Kg, delta BMI -1.8 +/- 3.2 Kg/m2, and %Fat 25.9 +/- 5.6%. The reductions in both the BW and BMI of females with PD were significantly higher than for males (p < 0.003, p < 0.001, respectively). The disease duration had no correlation with delta BW or delta BMI, but a significant negative correlation with %Fat (all: p < 0.05; females: p < 0.03). However, no correlation was found between delta BW, delta BMI or %Fat on the one hand, and the disease severity or the total dosage of L-dopa with carbidopa on the other. We conclude that patients with PD, especially in females, experience gradual body fat loss according to disease duration.