P923 - ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PHASE ANGLE AND MUSCLE HEALTH IN PATIENTS WITH LONG COVID: EXPLORING NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF AN EMERGING CLINICAL CONDITION

P923

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PHASE ANGLE AND MUSCLE HEALTH IN PATIENTS WITH LONG COVID: EXPLORING NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF AN EMERGING CLINICAL CONDITION

B. C. Santos^1,*, M. Montes-Ibarra¹, K. Godziuk^1,2, R. B. Thompson³, C. B. Chan^1,4, E. Pituskin⁵, D. P. Gross⁶, G. Y. Lam⁷, M. Schlögl⁸, J. F. Mota⁹, D. I. Paterson¹⁰, M. C. Gonzalez¹¹, C. M. Prado¹

¹Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, ²Deparment of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States, ³Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, ⁴Department of Physiology, ⁵Department of Nursing, ⁶Department of Physical Therapy, ⁷Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, ⁸Department for Geriatric Medicine, Clinic Barmelweid, Barmelweid, Switzerland, ⁹Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, Brazil, ¹⁰Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, ¹¹Postgraduate Program in Nutrition and Food, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Rationale: Long COVID is an underappreciated condition that negatively affects overall health, including nutritional and functional status. Given the need for accessible assessment tools in this population, we examined the association between phase angle (PhA), a bedside marker of muscle health, and ultrasound (US)-based body composition measures in patients with long COVID.

Methods: Baseline data from a sub-sample of BLEND (weB-based pLatform to improve nutrition, mindfulnEss, and physical function, in patients with loNg COVID) study were used. PhA was obtained using bioelectrical impedance analysis (Seca mBCA525), and standardized PhA (SPA) calculated. Mid-thigh US images (NextGen LOGIQTMe) assessed rectus femoris (RF) echo intensity (EI), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and total muscle thickness (TMT) considering RF and vastus intermedius. Peak handgrip strength (HGS) was adjusted by weight (low HGS: <0.45 for men and <0.34 for women). Data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation and Mann-Whitney test.

Results: 23 participants (69.6% female, 50.3±12.1 years) were included. Median (IQR) PhA was 7.0 ° (0.7) in males and 6.2 ° (1.5) in females. SPA was -0.37 (1.3) with most (65.2%) having negative values. PhA showed a strong positive correlation with TMT (ρ=0.808, p<0.001), moderately positive with adjusted HGS (ρ=0.612, p=0.002), and moderately negative with SAT (ρ=-0.628, p=0.002), and EI (ρ=-0.506, p=0.014). PhA was lower in those with low HGS (39.1%) (5.5° [1.5]) versus others (6.8° [1.0]), (p=0.046).

Conclusion: PhA is correlated with US measures of body composition, including muscle mass, muscle quality, and adiposity. These findings support PhA as a marker of muscle health in long COVID, highlighting compromised cell integrity and muscle function despite patients’ young age.

Funding: CAIP and CRC Research Chair Funds.

Disclosure of Interest: B. Santos: None declared, M. Montes-Ibarra: None declared, K. Godziuk: None declared, R. Thompson: None declared, C. Chan: None declared, E. Pituskin: None declared, D. Gross: None declared, G. Lam: None declared, M. Schlögl: None declared, J. F. Mota: None declared, D. Paterson: None declared, M. C. Gonzalez Consultant for: Nestle Health Science Brazil, Other: Speaker engagement for Nutricia and Abbott, C. Prado Consultant for: Abbott Nutrition, Nutricia, Novo Nordisk, Other: Speaker engagement: Abbott Nutrition, Nutricia, Nestle Health Science, Novo Nordisk