PD441 - BEYOND BODY COMPOSITION: SEX-SPECIFIC MORPHOFUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCES IN AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS. NUTRIELA PROJECT

PD441

BEYOND BODY COMPOSITION: SEX-SPECIFIC MORPHOFUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCES IN AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS. NUTRIELA PROJECT

A. Carmona-Llanos^1,*, M. Cayón-Blanco², I. Aznar-Ondoño³, I. Ros-Madrid⁴, F. J. Vílchez-López⁵

¹UGC Endocrinología y Nutrición, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz. H Univseritario de Jerez de la Frontera, ²UGC Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario de Jerez de la Frontera, Jerez de la Frontera, ³UGC Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, ⁴UGC Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia, ⁵UGC Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain

Rationale: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with progressive alterations in body composition, muscle function, and functional status. This study aimed to assess sex-specific differences and correlations among morphofunctional parameters in ALS patients.

Methods: Ambispective multicenter observational study including 334 patients with ALS. Bioimpedance analysis, muscle and abdominal ultrasound, handgrip strength, and ALSFRS-R were assessed. Sex differences were analyzed using Student’s t-test, and associations were evaluated using Pearson correlation.

Results: A total of 334 patients were included (64.3±11.6 years; 55.1% male), with a mean ALSFRS-R score of 33.4±9.85. Men showed higher body cell mass (23.65±7.26 vs 17.46±4.32 kg; p<0.001), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (20.40±3.91 vs 14.12±2.73 kg; p<0.001), ultrasound muscle area (4.333±1.578 vs 3.006±1.066 cm²; p<0.001), ultrasound Y-axis (1.302±0.375 vs 1.037±0.308 cm; p<0.001), and mean right handgrip strength (21.446±13.557 vs 12.826±6.732 kg; p<0.001). Women showed higher fat mass index (8.04±3.86 vs 6.80±2.77; p=0.001) and greater ultrasound-assessed intramuscular adipose tissue (1.285±0.968 vs 0.725±0.622 cm; p<0.001). The most relevant correlations showed associations of ALSFRS-R with phase angle, body cell mass, and handgrip strength in both sexes, and additionally with ultrasound muscle area and Y-axis in men (Figure 1A-B).

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Conclusion: Sex significantly influences morphofunctional assessment and its relationship with functional status in ALS, with relevant differences in body composition and muscle ultrasound. Incorporating a sex-specific approach may improve the accuracy of nutritional evaluation and clinical decision-making.

Disclosure of Interest: A. Carmona-Llanos Grant / Research Support from: This study received financial support from Persan Farma. , M. Cayón-Blanco: None declared, I. Aznar-Ondoño Grant / Research Support from: This study received financial support from Persan Farma. , I. Ros-Madrid Grant / Research Support from: This study received financial support from Persan Farma. , F. J. Vílchez-López Grant / Research Support from: This study received financial support from Persan Farma.