Quality of Life and non-motor symptoms Improvement in Parkinson's Disease through Nutritional Intervention: a Case Study.

Abstract

Non-motor symptomatology in Parkinson's disease (PD) is related to patients' quality of life (QoL). The Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NNMS) assesses QoL by investigating numerous domains including nutritional status, which is represented by domain 6. Patients with PD commonly suffer from dysphagia, and consequently malnutrition, leading to sarcopenia and increasing motor deficits in relation to loss of muscle mass and energy deficit. The impact of dysphagia on PD patients' health status, makes it necessary to study the effectiveness of specific nutritional programs in addressing feeding needs, with the goal to improve clinical outcomes and the patient's perception of their QoL. The 'Weancare' Program was trialed on an 84-year-old PD patient suffering from dysphagia and the Tower of Pisa Syndrome. The first assessment of the patient showed an early overall deteriorating condition, particularly under a nutritional point of view. The patient was assessed before and after the intervention considering serological tests, and the QoL through the New Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NNMS). We found a beneficial impact of the 'Weancare' program on the patient significantly improving the non-motor symptomatology and QoL and the investigated outcomes, enhancing a better subjective experience of mealtime lived by the patient.