Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the plasma levels of 25(OH) D in PD, correlating these values with the cognitive function and with disease duration.

Background: In recent years, attention has been paid to the role of vitamin D in Parkinson’s disease (PD), as it has been found that in the brain are present both the specific receptors for vitamin D and the enzyme 25(OH)D-1α-hydroxylase, necessary for the synthesis of the active metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. It has been shown that PD patients have low vitamin D levels and that a greater severity of the disease is connected with a lower serum concentration of the vitamin. The aim of the study is to evaluate the plasma levels of 25(OH) D in PD, correlating these values with the cognitive function and with disease duration.

Methods: Plasma 25(OH) D levels of PD patients recruited from throughout Italy were collected and correlated with anthropometric characteristics, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and disease duration. Major exclusion criteria: age <60 yr; oral supplementation of vitamin D; disease duration < 5 yr.

Results: The aim of the study was to evaluate 500 PD; preliminary data included 120 patients, 71,6% were male (28,4% female). Mean age was 71 yr (range 60-87) and mean BMI was 26,6 kg/m² (±4,65), with no statistical difference between male and female. The mean 25(OH) D level was 18,4 ng/ml (±9,88). 93,3% of patients didn’t reach optimal levels of 32ng/ml, including 59,1% <20ng/ml and 17,5% <10ng/ml. MMSE was ≤ 20 in 5 % patients; >20 and ≤ 24 in 16 %; >24 in 79%. Mean disease duration was 10,9 ± 6,3 yr. By simple linear correlation, a significant direct association between 25(OH)D and BMI (p<0,01) and between 25(OH)D and MMSE score (p=0,01) and inverse association between 25(OH)D and disease duration (p<0,01) was observed.

Conclusions: Only 6,7% of PD reach optimal plasma levels of 25(OH)D. The higher percent of men in recruitment is due to a major incidence of supplementation in women (exclusion criteria). Low 25(OH) D levels correlated with higher BMI, worse cognitive abilities, and longer disease duration. In PD population vitamin D supplementation is needed. We are collecting nutritional data from Food Frequency Questionnaire to evaluate nutritional intake, to investigate the role of vitamin D in the risk of PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/plasma-levels-of-vitamin-d-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-correlation-with-mini-mental-state-examination-and-disease-duration/