Increased resting energy expenditure compared with predictive theoretical equations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objectives: Approximately 50% to 60% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by an increase in metabolic rate. The Harris and Benedict (HB) 1919 formula is the equation mainly used to calculate resting energy expenditure (cREE) compared with measured REE (mREE) by indirect calorimetry (IC), but other formulas are also applied in current practice. The present study aimed to assess mREE in patients with ALS compared with 12 cREE formulas and study the relevant threshold of REE variation to screen patients with a higher evolving risk.

Predictive factors for gastrostomy at time of diagnosis and impact on survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background: Gastrostomy is recommended in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in the presence of weight loss over 10% as compared to usual weight, repeated aspirations or meal time duration longer than 45 min. Currently, the impact of gastrostomy on survival of ALS patients is not clear.

Aims: i) to describe diagnosis factors associated with the indication for gastrostomy ii) to evaluate survival of ALS patients with gastrostomy indication according to their acceptance of feeding tube placement.

Resting energy expenditure equations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, creation of an ALS-specific equation.

Introduction: Resting energy expenditure (REE) formulas for healthy people (HP) are used to calculate REE (cREE) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. In 50-60% of ALS cases an increase of measured REE (mREE) in indirect calometry (IC) compared to cREE is found. The aims here were (i) to assess the accuracy of cREE assessed using 11 formulas as compared to mREE and (ii) to create (if necessary) a specific cREE formula for ALS patients.

Hypermetabolism is a deleterious prognostic factor in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in order to determine their nutritional, neurological and respiratory parameters, and survival according to metabolic level.

Methods: Nutritional assessment included resting energy expenditure (REE) measured by indirect calorimetry [hypermetabolism if REE variation (ΔREE) > 10%] and fat mass (FM) using impedancemetry. Neurological assessment included the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised score.