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. 2013 Jul;28(8):1133-7.
doi: 10.1002/mds.25405. Epub 2013 Apr 2.

The relationship between balance control and vitamin D in Parkinson's disease-a pilot study

Amie L Peterson  1 , Martina Mancini, Fay B Horak
Affiliations

The relationship between balance control and vitamin D in Parkinson's disease-a pilot study

Amie L Peterson et al. Mov Disord. 2013 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Balance problems and falls are a major source of morbidity and mortality in patients with Parkinson's disease. Vitamin D supplementation reduces falls and sway in neurologically intact elderly fallers, but effects in Parkinson's disease are not established.

Methods: To study this relationship and select outcome measures for a vitamin D intervention study, balance function and vitamin D concentration were quantified in a series of Parkinson's patients in a cross-sectional, observational study. Participants underwent a battery of 5 balance tests.

Results: Serum vitamin D concentrations were correlated inversely with Parkinson's severity, as measured by the motor Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Among the balance measures, vitamin D concentrations were correlated with automatic posture responses to backwards translation, specifically with response strength and stance weight asymmetry.

Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that vitamin D plays a role in balance among patients with Parkinson's disease and identify specific outcome measures for detecting effects of vitamin D upon balance.

Keywords: Parkinson's disease; accidental falls; vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

Relevant conflicts of interest/financial disclosures:

Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
(A) Correlations between vitamin D (VitD) concentrations and backward translation are illustrated. (B,C) The different conditions of the sensory organization test are illustrated. Only condition 4 (D) was correlated with vitamin D concentrations. RMS indicates root mean square – a measure of sway.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
(A) The significant correlation between the motor United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (mUPDRS) and vitamin D (VitD) concentration is illustrated. Intervention studies are needed to further examine this relationship and determine causality. (B) Patients on average had moderate disease severity and vitamin D concentrations that were sufficient. MMSE indicates Mini-Mental State Examination; H&Y, Hoehn and Yahr staging; SD, standard deviation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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