Rest energy expenditure in Parkinson's disease: role of disease progression and dopaminergic therapy.

Background: Weight loss affects more than 50% of subjects suffering from Parkinson's Disease (PD) and is associated with reduced life expectancy. The pathogenesis is multifactorial and the mechanism of PD metabolism control is unresolved. This cross-sectional study aimed to ascertain the relationship between rest energy expenditure (REE), PD duration, Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) stage, drug therapy and body mass index (BMI), in order to determine possible predictors of weight loss.