Objective: To investigate if there is a significant relationship between weight loss in persons with Parkinson’s disease and side-effect incidence, and if so to what extent this is. 

Background: Parkinson’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease. Weight loss is prevalent, and its effects are poorly understood in Parkinson’s disease. In particular there is very little understanding of the relationship of side effects and weight loss. Given the noted quality of life issues in Parkinson’s patients these side effects are likely to contribute to worse patient outlook

Methods: A pilot, retrospective, single-centre, analysis in Movement Disorders Clinic, Rookwood Hospital, South Wales, UK comparing varying extents of weight loss with incidents of side effects; Hoehn and Yahr scale was accounted for with additional comparison. Statistical significance was defined at p = 0.05; Mann-Whitney U test was used. 

Results: 138 patients were sampled, of whom 80 were included. 53 were assigned to weight loss group (66.3% of sample) of whom 85.1% experienced side effects. 27 persons had no weight loss, of whom 59.3% experienced side effects. Weight loss was associated with a statistically significant increase in side-effect prevalence (p = 0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship between H&Y scale with side effect prevalence in weight loss (p > 0.05), or no weight-loss (p > 0.2). 

Conclusions: There is a clear correlation between weight loss in Parkinson’s disease and the prevalence of adverse medications effects.  Clinicians should take into account body weight changes when dosing and reviewing dopaminergic medications. 

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/is-there-a-significant-relationship-between-weight-loss-and-prevalence-of-side-effects-of-parkinsonian-medication-a-retrospective-single-centre-analysis-south-wales-uk/