Effects of a specific rehabilitation protocol on muscle mass and function in Parkinson’s disease: a multicenter prospective study

Purpose: This multicenter prospective study explores the link between sarcopenia and Parkinson’s disease (PD), focusing on muscle mass, strength, and physical performance. It aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a targeted rehabilitation program in improving musculoskeletal outcomes in PD patients, with the goal of reducing disability through multidisciplinary interventions. Methods: We recruited adults (50–80 years) with PD, diagnosed <5 years, with Hoehn and Yahr stage 2. Primary outcomes included muscle mass (ASM via bioimpedance), strength (HGS), physical performance (SPPB), and sarcopenia diagnosis (EWGSOP2 criteria). All received the same physiotherapy and were advised to continue home exercises to maintain results. Results: We included 61 PD patients (mean age 65.7 ± 8.5 years); bradykinesia (78.7%) and tremor (67.2%) were common. Osteoporosis was present in 57.4%. At the end of the rehabilitation program, improvements were observed in all the primary outcomes: ASM (p < 0.001), HGS (p = 0.081), SPPB (p < 0.001), and number of sarcopenic patients (p < 0.001). Benefits were maintained at follow-up, with a continued reduction in sarcopenia Conclusion: Targeted rehabilitation is effective and safe for PD patients with sarcopenia, leading to improvements in terms of muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. Further studies with longer follow-ups are needed in this field.