Osteoporosis and Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) and osteoporosis are two conditions with a quite high prevalence in older people. From the literature we learn that in parkinsonian people there a is e major reduction of Bone Mass Density (BMD) compared to age-matched controls. A low BMD is one of the factors related to fracture's frequency in PD patients besides an increased risk of falls. From the standpoint pathophysiology, various factors are involved in osteoporosis: immobilization, endocrine factors like hypovitaminosis D, nutritional and iatrogenic factors.Considering morbidity and mortality related to fractures in old people and in particular in PD patients it is reasonable that these patients would undergo to vitamin and BMD measuring, to fall risk assessment and that all preventive measure are implemented to reduce the risk of fractures. Possible interventions are essentially based on fall prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Randomized clinical studies in the literature, in which it was studied the effect of anti-osteoporotic drugs in patients with MP showed a significant reduction in the number of fractures and increase BMD.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; fall; fracture; osteoporosis; vitamin D.