scholarly journals Altered Body Composition of Psoas and Thigh Muscles in Relation to Frailty and Severity of Parkinson's Disease

Author(s):  
Chiang ◽  
Chen ◽  
Lin

Background: To investigate the relationship between fat content and the cross-sectional area of psoas and thigh muscles, and clinical severity in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients and 20 age- and sex-matched normal controls were recruited. All subjects underwent MRI study to determine the fat content of the bilateral psoas and thigh muscles. Muscle quality was measured by grasp, walking speed, and cross-sectional area. All patients underwent clinical surveys to evaluate disease severity and frailty, and analyses of the correlations between muscle quality and disease severity were performed. Results: Compared with the controls, patients exhibited higher fatty content in the measured muscles. The higher fat infiltration of measured muscles was significantly correlated with increased disease severity and frailty in patients. The fat fraction of the bilateral medial compartment of the thigh was correlated with the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale-I results and the fat fraction of the bilateral anterior compartment of the thigh was correlated with weakness and exhaustion in patients. Conclusions: Decreased quality in psoas and thigh muscles is prominent in Parkinson’s disease which is further associated with disease severity and frailty. Awareness of the risk of sarcopenia and associated sequelae might improve patient care and outcomes.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura C.J. Sijben ◽  
Werner H. Mess ◽  
Uwe Walter ◽  
A. Miranda L. Janssen ◽  
Mark Kuijf ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveRecent studies have revealed the importance of the gut brain axis in the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD). It has also been suggested that the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the vagus nerve can be used in the diagnosis of PD. Here, we hypothesize that the CSA of the vagus nerve is decreased in PD patients compared to control subjects.MethodsIn this study we measured the CSA of the vagus nerve on both sides in 31 patients with PD and 51 healthy controls at the level of the common carotid artery using high-resolution ultrasound.ResultsThe CSA of the vagus nerve was not reduced in PD patients compared to controls (p = 0.391. The mean CSA of the left vagus nerve was significantly smaller than the right (p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between age, gender and autonomic symptoms with the CSA of the left (p = 0.128) and right vagus nerve (p = 0.166).ConclusionThese findings show that the CSA of the vagus nerve using ultrasonography is not a reliable diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of PD.HighlightsThe cross-sectional area of the vagus nerve is not decreased in Parkinson disease patients.The cross-sectional area of the vagus nerve does not correlate with autonomic symptoms.Measurement of the vagus nerve cross-sectional area has a high inter-observer correlation.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247920
Author(s):  
Karl Aoun ◽  
Kay L. Double ◽  
Verity Pearson-Dennett ◽  
Rezzak Yilmaz ◽  
Daniela Berg ◽  
...  

Background Transcranial sonography is increasingly used to aid clinical diagnoses of movement disorders, for example, to identify an enlarged area of substantia nigra echogenicity in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Objective The current study investigated characteristics of the midbrain at the anatomical plane for quantification of substantia nigra echogenicity. METHODS: Area of substantia nigra echogenicity, cross-sectional area of the midbrain, and interpeduncular angle were quantified in two groups of adults aged 18–50 years: 47 healthy non-drug-using controls (control group) and 22 individuals with a history of methamphetamine use (methamphetamine group), a cohort with a high prevalence of enlarged substantia nigra echogenicity and thus risk of Parkinson’s disease. Results In the control group, cross-sectional area of the midbrain (4.47±0.44 cm2) and interpeduncular angle were unaffected by age, sex, or image acquisition side. In the methamphetamine group, cross-sectional midbrain area (4.72±0.60 cm2) and area of substantia nigra echogenicity were enlarged compared to the control group, and the enlargement was sex-dependent (larger in males than females). Whole midbrain area and interpeduncular angle were found to be weak predictors of area of substantia nigra echogenicity after accounting for group and sex. Conclusions History of methamphetamine use is associated with an enlarged midbrain and area of substantia nigra echogenicity, and the abnormality is more pronounced in males than females. Thus, males may be more susceptible to methamphetamine-induced changes to the brainstem, and risk of Parkinson’s disease, than females.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Horsager ◽  
Uwe Walter ◽  
Tatyana D Fedorova ◽  
Katrine B. Andersen ◽  
Casper Skjærbæk ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundVagal parasympathetic neurons are prone to degeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD). High-resolution ultrasound can precisely estimate the cross-sectional area (CSA) of peripheral nerves. Here, we tested the hypothesis that vagus CSA is reduced in PD.MethodsWe included 56 healthy controls (HCs) and 63 patients with PD. Using a high-end ultrasound system equipped with a high-frequency transducer, five images were obtained of each nerve. The hypoechoic neuronal tissue was delineated offline with dedicated software and the CSA extracted.ResultsIn the initial PD vs. HC comparison, no statistically significant differences were observed in mean left vagus CSA (HC: 1.97mm2, PD: 1.89mm2, P=0.36) or in mean right vagus CSA (HC: 2.37mm2, PD: 2.23mm2, P=0.17). The right vagus CSA was significantly larger than the left vagus CSA in both groups (P<0.0001). Females were overrepresented in the HC group and presented with generally smaller vagus CSAs. Consequently, sex-adjusted CSA was significantly smaller for the right vagus nerve of the PD group (P=0.041), but not for the left.ConclusionA small but significant reduction in sex-adjusted right vagus CSA was observed in patients with PD. The left vagus CSA was not significantly reduced in patients with PD. Ultrasound may not be a suitable method to detecting vagal axonal loss in individual patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Fredrika Boström ◽  
Anu K Lappalainen ◽  
Lieven Danneels ◽  
Tarja S Jokinen ◽  
Outi Laitinen-Vapaavuori ◽  
...  

MRI and CT are frequently used to diagnose spinal diseases in dogs. These modalities have detected epaxial muscle degeneration in dachshunds with intervertebral disc herniation. However, research on the reliability of epaxial muscular measurements is limited in veterinary medicine. The aims of the study were to assess the intrarater and inter-rater reliability of epaxial muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and fat content measurements on MRI and CT images in dachshunds, and to compare the CSA measurement between the two modalities. MRI and CT images of 10 healthy dachshunds were evaluated. Two blinded observers assessed MRI CSA, MRI fat content, CT CSA and CT muscle attenuation of three thoracolumbar epaxial muscles using OsiriX. The results showed ‘substantial’ to ‘almost perfect’ intrarater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.828–0.998) and inter-rater reliability (ICC 0.685–0.854) for all variables. When individual spinal segments were analysed, the intrarater and inter-rater reliability decreased and the confidence intervals increased. There was positive correlation (r= 0.719–0.841, P=0.001) and high agreement (0.824–0.894) for the measured CSA between MRI and CT. Epaxial muscle CSA and fat content can be reliably measured on MRI and CT, bearing in mind that measurement of certain segments requires adequate training.


2002 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Oyama ◽  
William P. Thomas

Echocardiographic studies from 50 dogs with congenital subaortic stenosis were examined. The degree of concentric, left-ventricular hypertrophy as assessed by M-mode measurement demonstrated a positive relationship (P &lt;0.05) to disease severity. However, the clinical utility of these measures is hindered by a large amount of individual variation (r2=0.243 to 0.473). Two-dimensional ultrasound was used to compare the cross-sectional area of the left-ventricular outflow tract to the cross-sectional area of the aortic root. The ratio of these two areas demonstrated a strong inverse relationship (P=0.001; r2=0.778) with disease severity. This ratio provides a method of estimating severity of disease by two-dimensional echocardiography.


2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (9) ◽  
pp. 1167-1176
Author(s):  
Gustavo J Almeida ◽  
Samannaaz S Khoja ◽  
Sara R Piva

Abstract Background Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a viable intervention for improving impaired muscle function in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is limited evidence about the dose-response relationship between NMES and muscle function in these individuals. Objective The objectives of this study were to investigate the dose-response relationship between NMES and muscle function in individuals with RA and to establish the minimal NMES training intensity for promoting improvements. Design This study was a secondary analysis of data obtained before and after an NMES intervention in a randomized study. Methods The study took place at a research clinic. Only adults diagnosed with RA were included. The intervention consisted of 36 NMES treatment sessions for the quadriceps muscles over 16 weeks. Muscle function was measured before and after the intervention; quadriceps cross-sectional area and muscle quality were assessed using computed tomography, and strength was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer. NMES training intensity was calculated as a percentage by dividing NMES-elicited quadriceps muscle torque by the maximum voluntary isometric contraction. Improvements in muscle function were calculated using paired-sample t tests. The dose-response relationship was determined using curve estimation regression statistics. The minimum NMES training intensity was defined as that sufficient to significantly improve all muscle function measures. Results Twenty-four people (48 legs) participated (75% women; mean [SD] age = 58 [8] years; mean body mass index = 32 [7] kg/m2). Quadriceps cross-sectional area, muscle quality, and strength improved after the intervention. Associations between NMES training intensity and muscle quality (r2 = 0.20) and strength (r2 = 0.23) were statistically significant, but that between NMES training intensity and muscle cross-sectional area was not (r2 = 0.02). The minimum NMES training intensity necessary to improve all measures of muscle function ranged from 11% to 20% of the maximum voluntary isometric contraction. Limitations The relatively small sample size was a limitation. Conclusions The minimum NMES training intensity for significant gains in muscle function was ∼15%. Higher NMES intensities may promote better muscle quality and strength in individuals with RA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (84) ◽  
pp. e7-e11
Author(s):  
Eric J. Sobolewski ◽  
◽  
Leah D. Wein ◽  
Jacquelyn M. Crow ◽  
Kaitlyn M. Carpenter ◽  
...  

Introduction: The use of ultrasound images for analyzing muscle quality and size is continuing to grow in the literature. However, many of these manuscripts fail to properly describe their measurement techniques and steps involved in analyzing ultrasound images. Aim of this study: To evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the steps involved when analyzing ultrasound images to measure cross-sectional area and echo intensity. Material and methods: Twenty ultrasound images of the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis images were blinded and replicated, and then analyzed by experienced raters. The raters then were asked to analyze the images using open-source software for scaling measurements, subcutaneous fat thickness, cross-sectional area, and echo intensity. Matched image values for each measurement where compared for intra- and inter-rater reliability. Results: Intra-rater reliability ranged from fair (ICC3,1 = 0.32) to high (0.98), with echo intensity values being the least reliable (>0.55), and scaling and depth measurements being the most reliable (<0.85). Inter-rater reliability ranged from good (0.77) to high (0.97). Conclusion: Ultrasound- derived measures of cross-sectional area and echo intensity can be measured reliably, with echo intensity being the most difficult to replicate. However, reliability measures are unique to the rater and study and, therefore, should be clearly reported in every paper.


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