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Journals / Turkish Journal of Clinics and Laboratory / 2026 / Sayı: 1

Are nutrition and muscle strength impaired in Alzheimer's patients at an early stage?

Alzheimer hastalarında erken evrede beslenme ve kas gücünde bozulma var mı?

Ayşegül Akkan Suzan(İSTANBUL ÜNİVERSİTESİ - CERRAHPAŞA, CERRAHPAŞA TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-7565-3469
Seyda Bilgin(İSTANBUL ÜNİVERSİTESİ - CERRAHPAŞA, CERRAHPAŞA TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-8068-506X
Tugce Nur Turkoglu(istanbul eğitim ve araştırma hastanesi)0009-0002-0762-0053
Veysel Suzan(istanbul eğitim ve araştırma hastanesi)0000-0001-5741-9820
Özlem Yılmaz(istanbul eğitim ve araştırma hastanesi)0000-0001-9868-2828
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-03-28
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Therefore, it is important to regularly screen Alzheimer's patients for malnutrition risk and muscle strength.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aim: The aim of our study is to compare early and mid-stage Alzheimer's disease patients and patients without Alzheimer's disease in terms of nutrition, muscle strength and frailty.
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Key Findings & Data:Materials and Methods: Our study is a cross-sectional study conducted in the outpatient clinic of a tertiary health centre between 1 April and 1 December 2024.
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Conclusion & Impact:Therefore, it is important to regularly screen Alzheimer's patients for malnutrition risk and muscle strength.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:beslenme · kas gücü · kırılganlık

Abstract

Aim: The aim of our study is to compare early and mid-stage Alzheimer's disease patients and patients without Alzheimer's disease in terms of nutrition, muscle strength and frailty. Materials and Methods: Our study is a cross-sectional study conducted in the outpatient clinic of a tertiary health centre between 1 April and 1 December 2024. Alzheimer's disease was diagnosed according to the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association Working Groups criteria. According to the minimal status examination, 20-24 were considered mild and 10-19 were considered moderate dementia patients. MNA-SF (Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form) test for malnutrition, Handgrip strength (HGS) for muscle strength, FRAIL questionnaire for frailty were applied. Results: There was no significant difference between Alzheimer's disease patients (n=32; 20 early stage- 12 middle stage) and control patients without Alzheimer's disease (n=32) in terms of age and gender (p=0.279, p=0.768). MNA-SF and muscle strength were significantly lower in the Alzheimer's group compared to the control group (p=0.009, p<0.001). FRAIL score was significantly higher in the Alzheimer's group compared to the control group (p=0.010). MNA-SF, muscle strength were statistically significantly lower in the early stage Alzheimer's group (n=20) compared to the control group (n=32) (p=0.025, p=0.006). FRAIL score was statistically significantly higher in the early stage Alzheimer's group (n=20) compared to the control group (n=32) (p=0.011). Conclusion: Our study shows that Alzheimer's disease negatively affects the nutritional status and muscle strength of individuals even in the early stage. Therefore, it is important to regularly screen Alzheimer's patients for malnutrition risk and muscle strength.

Özet

Amaç: Çalışmamızın amacı, erken ve orta evre Alzheimer hastaları ile Alzheimer hastalığı olmayan hastaları beslenme, kas gücü ve kırılganlık açısından karşılaştırmaktır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmamız, 1 Nisan - 1 Aralık 2024 tarihleri arasında üçüncü basamak bir sağlık merkezinin polikliniğinde yürütülen kesitsel bir çalışmadır. Alzheimer hastalığı, Ulusal Yaşlanma Enstitüsü-Alzheimer Derneği Çalışma Grupları kriterlerine göre teşhis edilmiştir. Mini mental durum muayenesine göre 20-24 puan hafif, 10-19 puan orta dereceli demans hastası olarak kabul edilmiştir. Yetersiz beslenme için MNA-SF (Mini Beslenme Değerlendirmesi-Kısa Form) testi, kas gücü için El Kavrama Gücü, kırılganlık için FRAIL anketi uygulanmıştır. Bulgular: Alzheimer hastalığı olan hastalar (n=32; 20 erken evre - 12 orta evre) ile Alzheimer hastalığı olmayan kontrol hastaları (n=32) arasında yaş ve cinsiyet açısından anlamlı bir fark bulunmadı (p=0,279; p=0,768). MNA-SF ve kas kuvveti Alzheimer grubunda kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı olarak düşüktü (p=0,009; p<0,001). FRAIL skoru Alzheimer grubunda kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı olarak yüksekti (p=0,010). MNA-SF ve kas kuvveti erken evre Alzheimer grubunda (n=20) kontrol grubuna (n=32) göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı şekilde düşüktü (p=0,025, p=0,006). FRAIL skoru erken evre Alzheimer grubunda (n=20) kontrol grubuna (n=32) göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı şekilde yüksekti (p=0,011). Sonuçlar: Çalışmamız, Alzheimer hastalığının erken evrede bile bireylerin beslenme durumunu ve kas gücünü olumsuz etkilediğini göstermektedir. Bu nedenle, Alzheimer hastalarının yetersiz beslenme riski ve kas gücü açısından düzenli olarak taranması önemlidir.

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Cite This Article

Suzan, A. A., Bilgin, S., Turkoglu, T. N., Suzan, V., Yılmaz, Ö. (2026). Are nutrition and muscle strength impaired in Alzheimer's patients at an early stage?. Turkish Journal of Clinics and Laboratory, Sayı: 1. https://doi.org/10.18663/tjcl.1819165

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