Severe Loss of Appetite in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients: Online Self-Assessment Study

摘要

Background Undesirable loss of weight is a major challenge in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, little is known about loss of appetite in ALS patients. Objective We investigated loss of appetite in ALS patients by means of an online self-assessment and whether ALS-related symptoms were associated with it. Methods Loss of appetite in 51 ALS patients was assessed using the Council on Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ). Loss of appetite is defined as a CNAQ-score of 28 or less with a predicted weight loss of at least 5% within 6 months. We developed an Internet portal to facilitate self-assessment. Results Approximately half of the ALS patients (47%, 24/51) suffered from severe loss of appetite; after 6 months this increased to nearly two-thirds (65%, 22/34). An average weight loss of 5% was found in the group with severe loss of appetite as compared to only 2% of patients with normal appetite. Interestingly, loss of appetite was associated with respiratory dysfunction ( P =.001, R2=.223). Conclusions Loss of appetite was more common and more severe than expected. It was found to be an independent risk factor for unintended weight loss and may be related to dyspnea. The impact of severe loss of appetite on survival and quality of life should be established in further studies.