Publication
Title
The relationship of weight change trajectory with medial temporal lobe atrophy in patients with mildAlzheimers disease : results from a cohort study
Author
Abstract
Introduction: Weight loss has been described in 20% to 45% of patients with Alzheimers disease (AD) and has been associated with adverse outcomes. Various mechanisms for weight loss in AD patients have been proposed, though none has been proven. This study aimed to elucidate a mechanism of weight loss in AD patients by examining the hypothesis that weight loss is associated with medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA). Methods: Patients from the Frisian Alzheimers disease cohort study (a retrospective, longitudinal study of 576 community-dwelling AD patients) were included when a brain MRI was performed on which MTA could be assessed. To investigate the hypothesis that weight loss is associated with MTA, we investigated whether the trajectory of body weight change depends on the severity of MTA at the time of diagnosis (that is baseline). We hypothesized that patients with more severe MTA at baseline would have a lower body weight at baseline and a faster decrease in body weight during the course of the disease. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to determine the relationship of weight change trajectory with MTA severity. Results: In total, 214 patients (median age 79 years, median MMSE 23, mean weight 73.9 kg) were included. Patients with moderate, severe or very severe MTA at baseline weighed 3.2 to 6.8 kg more than patients with no or mild MTA. During the 3.5 years, patients gained on average 1.7 kg in body weight, irrespective of the severity of their MTA at baseline. Conclusions: We found no evidence that MTA is associated with weight loss in AD patients. Moreover, contrary to what was expected, AD patients did not lose but gained weight during follow-up.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Alzheimer's research & therapy
Publication
2015
ISSN
1758-9193
DOI
10.1186/S13195-015-0098-1
Volume/pages
7 (2015) , 11 p.
Article Reference
18
ISI
000352126800001
Pubmed ID
25848400
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 28.04.2015
Last edited 09.10.2023
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