Introduction: We evaluated clinical and bioelectrical impedance (BIA) parameters at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up and associated these parameters with survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients.
Methods: One hundred seventeen patients were enrolled and were evaluated prospectively every 3 months. All patients underwent at least 1 BIA-based assessment, and 73 underwent at least 2 assessments. Data regarding the site of onset, age at onset, weight, body mass index (BMI), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale score (ALSFRS), fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), and phase angle (PA) were collected.
Results: At the time of diagnosis, weight loss exceeding 5% of the premorbid weight and low PA were poor prognostic factors. During follow-up, a decrease of PA and FFM were associated with shorter survival, regardless of weight loss.
Conclusions: These results confirm that BIA is useful to identify poor prognostic factors at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up and thus could be used to monitor patients during follow-up. Early identification of poor prognostic factors enables nutritional management and might improve patient survival.
Keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; bioelectrical impedance; metabolism; prognosis.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.