Objective: To explore the predictive role of anthropometric changes and development of Parkinson’s Disease (PD).

Background: There is a tendency to lose weight in PD, and weight loss is associated with more severe motor and non-motor symptoms and higher mortality. Although weight loss becomes more evident in later stages, some studies reported it starts in the prodromal phase of PD. We evaluated whether weight loss and changes in body composition predate the development of PD.

Method: In this prospective study on the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), changes in body weight and waist circumference between baseline and first follow-up (after 3 years) were compared among prevalent PD patients (PD at baseline and follow-up), prodromal PD (PD-free at baseline but developed PD during follow-up. This group was in prodromal stage at baseline), and controls (no PD at baseline or follow-up). We performed ANOVA and linear regression, adjusting for age and sex. Adjusted β-coefficient and 95% confidence interval (aβ [95%CI]) is presented.

Results: Among the 92 prevalent PD (66.3% male, age=68.3±9.2 years), 58 prodromal PD (65.5% male, age=69.7±8.0 years), and 26,516 controls (49% male, age=62.6±10.1), the baseline weight was not statistically different between these 3 groups (78.6±15.1 vs. 82.3±16.1 vs. 79.7±17.5 kg, respectively). During 3 years follow-up, prevalent PDs had significantly higher weight loss compared to controls (-1.9±6.9 vs. 0.0±5.3 kg, aβ=-1.48[-2.60,-0.36]). Similarly, weight loss in prodromal PDs was higher than controls (-2.9±5.4 vs. 0.0±5.3 kg, aβ=-1.18[-1.88,-0.49]). No difference was observed between prevalent vs. prodromal PDs (aβ=-0.89[-3.05,1.27]).
Although waist circumference at baseline was not statistically different among prevalent PDs, prodromal PDs, and controls (95.4±12.8 vs. 99.3±14.4 vs. 94.0±14.6 cm, respectively), it decreased more in prodromal PDs over the 3-year follow-up (-3.1±7.1 in prodromal PDs vs. -0.4±8.1 in prevalent PDs and 0.0±6.5 in controls).

Conclusion: We found that decrease in body weight and waist circumference occurs prodromal PD during the 3 years before PD diagnosis.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/anthropometric-changes-in-parkinsons-disease-canadian-longitudinal-study-on-aging/