Abstract Accumulating evidence has established that systemic inflammation contributes to the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD); consequently, inflammatory markers and nutritional indices that reflect these processes are attracting increasing clinical attention. This study investigated the association between PD and peripheral blood lymphocyte rate (LYMPH%) and serum albumin (Alb), as well as their combined index (LAP = LYMPH% × Alb), to evaluate the changes in systemic inflammation and disease progression in PD. We enrolled 156 PD patients and 293 healthy controls. Peripheral blood LYMPH% and Alb were measured using blood biochemistry and routine tests, and LAP was calculated. Statistical analyses compared these markers between groups and assessed their correlation with disease severity. Both the median peripheral blood LYMPH% and serum Alb levels were significantly lower in PD (LYMPH%, 28.47% vs. 31.96%, p < 0.001; Alb, 42.69 g/L vs. 44.80 g/L, p < 0.001). Combined with the above two indicators, LAP level in PD patients was significantly reduced (1218 vs. 1430, p < 0.001). Lower LYMPH%, Alb and LAP levels were associated with severity (LAP, HC vs. PD: AUC = 0.6533, p < 0.001, HC vs. Advanced: AUC = 0.7801, p < 0.001). Taken together, these findings suggest that LAP may offer a preliminary exploratory indication related to disease burden in PD, particularly in advanced disease, and should be further evaluated in future disease monitoring studies.
Xiu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.