Association between Calf and Thigh Circumference with Clinical and Functional Characteristics in Parkinson’s Disease

Background
Lower extremity circumference may serve as a practical screening tool for sarcopenia in older adults. However, research on calf circumference (CC) and thigh circumference (TC) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains limited.
Objective
This study examines the relationship between CC and TC and clinical characteristics, functional performance, disease severity, quality of life, and cognitive function in PD.
Methods
This cross-sectional study involved 24 patients with PD. Clinical characteristics, functional performance tests, CC, and mid-TC were assessed. Disease severity was evaluated using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), cognitive function with the Thai Mental State Examination, and quality of life using the PD Questionnaire-8. Linear regression analysis was performed to explore relationships between lower extremity circumferences and related factors.
Results
The patients had a mean age of 64.4 years (standard deviation [SD]: 7.22), and included 11 men (45.8%). The average disease duration was four years (SD: 1.12). Based on the CC criteria, eight patients were identified as having sarcopenia. Both CC and TC were negatively correlated with UPDRS part II scores. The left and right CC also showed significant negative correlations with the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8) mobility score. Specifically, left CC was associated with a β coefficient of −1.940 (95% confidence interval [CI] of B: −3.628 – −0.251, p=0.026), and right CC with a β of −1.961 (95% CI of B: −3.657 – −0.265, p=0.025).
Conclusion
The negative correlations between lower extremity circumferences and UPDRS part II and PDQ-8 mobility scores suggest that reduced muscle circumferences may indicate greater impairment in daily activities and mobility.
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