Impact of weight loss and disease progression on survival in ALS: insights from a multidisciplinary care center

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Finn

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease with poor prognosis, where weight loss and malnutrition become increasingly important during progression. A retrospective study from a multidisciplinary ALS care center in Natal, Brazil, evaluated demographic and clinical predictors of survival, focusing on weight loss percentage at diagnosis. Among 132 patients, weight loss and disease progression rate were the strongest predictors of reduced survival, with early nutritional and multidisciplinary interventions emphasized.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Objective

Methods

Study design and population

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Article published online: 2025-10-15 Original Article 1 Impact of weight loss and disease progression on survival in ALS: insights from a multidisciplinary care center Mário Emílio Teixeira Dourado Junior 1 Laura Carvalheira Dourado2 Glauciane Costa Santana3 Sancha Helena de Lima Vale4 Lucia Leite-Lais4 1 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Medicina Integrada, Natal RN, Brazil. 2 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição, Natal RN, Brazil. 3 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes, Natal RN, Brazil. Arq. Neuro-Psiquiatr. 2025;83(10):s00451812029 . Address for correspondence Lucia Leite-Lais (email: [lucia.leite@ufrn.br](lucia.leite@ufrn.br)) 4 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Nutrição, Natal RN, Brazil. Abstract Keywords ► Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ► Weight Loss ► Disease Progression ► Nutritional Status ► Survival Analysis Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifaceted neurodegenerative disorder with a poor prognosis. Weight loss and malnutrition emerge as signiﬁcant clinical features during disease progression. Objective To explore how demographic and clinical characteristics relate to survival in ALS patients, emphasizing the role of weight loss percentage at the time of diagnosis. Methods We conducted a retrospective study that used the database of a multidisciplinary ALS care center in the city of Natal, Brazil. Results A total of 132 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the participants at symptom onset was of 56.9 years, and most of them were male (59.8%) . Older age, bulbar onset, and faster disease progression were associated with weight loss 􀀁 10% at diagnosis. Among 132 patients, 72% experienced death or tracheostomy, with a median survival of 34 months. Survival was notably reduced in patients aged 􀀁 60 years, those with signiﬁcant weight loss, rapid disease progression, or those submitted to gastrostomy. Weight loss and the rate of disease progression were the strongest predictors of reduced survival. Potential factors relating gastrostomy with reduced survival are discussed. Conclusion The present study highlights the critical impact of weight loss and disease progression on survival in ALS patients, emphasizing the importance of early nutritional and clinical interventions. These ﬁndings underscore the need for comprehensive, multidisciplinary care strategies to address key prognostic factors and improve outcomes in ALS patients. received January 22, 2025 received in its ﬁnal form March 6, 2025 accepted July 27, 2025 DOI [https://doi.org/](https://doi.org/)[ ](https://doi.org/)10.1055/s-0045-1812029 . ISSN 0004-282X. Editor-in-Chief: Ayrton Roberto Massaro. Associate Editor: Wilson Marques Jr. © 2025 . The Author(s) . This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)) Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda. , Rua Rego Freitas, 175, loja 1, República, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01220-010, Brazil 2 Weight loss and disease progression in ALS Dourado Junior et al. INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifaceted neurodegenerative disorder marked by the deterioration of upper and lower motor neurons. It generally begins in adulthood, approximately at 55 to 75 years of age. It follows a progressive course, with a median survival of 􀀃 3 years after symptom onset, though life expectancy can range from months to more than 10 years. Respiratory failure predominantly accounts for mortality. The disorder exhibits clinical and genetic hete

FAQs

What was the main objective of the study on ALS survival?

To determine how demographic and clinical characteristics relate to survival in ALS patients, emphasizing the role of weight loss percentage at diagnosis.

How many ALS patients were included and what was the key survival finding?

The study included 132 patients. Weight loss and the rate of disease progression were identified as the strongest predictors of reduced survival.

Which groups showed notably reduced survival?

Survival was notably reduced in patients aged 60 years or older, those with significant weight loss, rapid disease progression, and those submitted to gastrostomy.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Finn