Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - (Page 15) Digestive Disease institute utilizing the alsFRs-R as a tool in nutrition assessment in als patients The Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) is a validated rating instrument for monitoring the progression of disability in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cleveland Clinic Dietitian Arlene Escuro, MS, RD, LD, CnSD, recently led a study to determine whether ALSFRS-R scores correlate with nutritional changes among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “The findings provide evidence that change in ALSFRS-R scores correlate with nutritional changes over time in ALS patients,” Escuro says. “The scale can be utilized as a reliable tool in providing nutrition interventions tailored to changing medical needs of ALS patients.” The ALSFRS-R provides scores for bulbar functions, fine motor tasks, gross motor tasks and respiratory functions. It includes 12 questions with each task rated on a five-point scale from 0 = can’t do, to 4 = normal ability. Individual item scores are summed to produce a reported score of between 0 = worst and 48 = best. From January 2004 to December 2006, Escuro collected the total ALSFRS-R score and bulbar function score on 120 patients followed every six months at Cleveland Clinic’s ALS clinic to compare against changes in weight and feeding regimen. of 120 patients, 105 (88 percent) reported a decrease in total ALSFRS-R score, and 70 of 120 patients (58 percent) experienced a decrease in bulbar function score over time. There was a marked relationship between patients’ weight status and total ALSFRS-R score (r= .43, p<.0001). Decrease in bulbar function score correlated with weight loss (r = .41, p<.0001). Eighteen percent of patients who reported a decrease in both ALSFRS-R and bulbar function scores transitioned from oral diet to enteral nutrition alone due to increased risk of aspiration. Escuro’s findings were published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. For more information, email digestthis@ccf.org clevelandclinic.org /digestthis InVESTIGATIonS {15} http://www.clevelandclinic.org/digestthis
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Digest This - Special Edition 2008 Digest This - Special Edition 2008 Table of Contents Investigations Institute Overview Innovations Staff Research Digest This - Special Edition 2008 Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Digest This - Special Edition 2008 (Page Cover1) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Digest This - Special Edition 2008 (Page Cover2) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Digest This - Special Edition 2008 (Page 1) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Table of Contents (Page 2) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 3) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 4) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 5) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 6) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 7) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 8) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 9) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 10) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 11) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 12) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 13) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 14) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 15) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Investigations (Page 16) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Institute Overview (Page 17) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Institute Overview (Page 18) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Institute Overview (Page 19) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Institute Overview (Page 20) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Innovations (Page 21) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Innovations (Page 22) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Innovations (Page 23) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Innovations (Page 24) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 25) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 26) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 27) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 28) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 29) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 30) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 31) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 32) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 33) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 34) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 35) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 36) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 37) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 38) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 39) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 40) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 41) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 42) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 43) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 44) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 45) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Staff (Page 46) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 47) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 48) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 49) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 50) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 51) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 52) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 53) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 54) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 55) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 56) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 57) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 58) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 59) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 60) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 61) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page 62) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page Cover3) Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - Research (Page Cover4)
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