Prognostic Value of Regular Nutritional Treatment in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition adversely affects the prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of regular nutrition treatment and follow-up in clinical nutrition outpatient clinic (CNOC) on survival in ALS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 55 ALS patients who were admitted and followed up in CNOC. Malnutrition was diagnosed using ESPEN criteria and nutrition treatment was planned according to needs of each patient. Nutritional status was followed up by body mass index (BMI), bioelectrical impedence analysis, and serum albumin. During the follow-up, survivors and nonsurvivors were compared according to their nutrition treatment success and changes in the anthropometric and laboratory measurements. RESULTS: Body weight, BMI, and fat free mass were decreased during the follow-up in both survivors and nonsurvivors ( P <0.01). The decrease in the serum albumin and BMI were significantly higher in nonsurvivors ( P <0.01). Mortality rate was lower in those with higher adherence to nutrition treatment ( P <0.01) and patients with lower adherence to nutrition treatment showed more significant decrease in serum albumin levels ( P <0.01). CONCLUSION: A personalized nutrition treatment combined with increased nutritional adherence in CNOC can decrease mortality in ALS patients.