Body Composition, Disability in People with MS

Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have greater disability exhibit higher body fat and lower bone tissue content and density than those with mild disability, a recent study found. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional investigation of 47 ambulatory persons with relapsing remitting MS who were grouped by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores as having mild (1.0‒4.0; n=26) or moderate (4.5‒6.5; n=21) disability. Main outcome measures were whole-body and regional soft tissue composition (%body fat [BF], fat mass [FM], and fat-free soft tissue mass [FFM]), bone mineral content (BMC), and bone mineral density (BMD). Other outcomes included physical fitness, mobility, cognitive processing speed, symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). They found:

• Whole-body and regional %BF and FM were significantly higher, and whole-body and appendicular BMC and BMD were significantly lower in participants with moderate disability than those with mild disability.
• There were no significant differences in whole-body or regional FFM by disability status.
• In the overall sample, body fat correlated significantly with cardiorespiratory fitness, pain symptoms, and psychological HRQOL.
• FFM and BMC correlated primarily with measures of muscular strength.

Pilutti LA, Motl RW. Body composition and disability in people with multiple sclerosis: A dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry study. [Published online ahead of print January 3, 2019]. Mult Scler Relat Disord. doi:10.1016/j.msard.2019.01.009.

Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have greater disability exhibit higher body fat and lower bone tissue content and density than those with mild disability, a recent study found. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional investigation of 47 ambulatory persons with relapsing remitting MS who were grouped by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores as having mild (1.0‒4.0; n=26) or moderate (4.5‒6.5; n=21) disability. Main outcome measures were whole-body and regional soft tissue composition (%body fat [BF], fat mass [FM], and fat-free soft tissue mass [FFM]), bone mineral content (BMC), and bone mineral density (BMD). Other outcomes included physical fitness, mobility, cognitive processing speed, symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). They found:

• Whole-body and regional %BF and FM were significantly higher, and whole-body and appendicular BMC and BMD were significantly lower in participants with moderate disability than those with mild disability.
• There were no significant differences in whole-body or regional FFM by disability status.
• In the overall sample, body fat correlated significantly with cardiorespiratory fitness, pain symptoms, and psychological HRQOL.
• FFM and BMC correlated primarily with measures of muscular strength.

Pilutti LA, Motl RW. Body composition and disability in people with multiple sclerosis: A dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry study. [Published online ahead of print January 3, 2019]. Mult Scler Relat Disord. doi:10.1016/j.msard.2019.01.009.

Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have greater disability exhibit higher body fat and lower bone tissue content and density than those with mild disability, a recent study found. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional investigation of 47 ambulatory persons with relapsing remitting MS who were grouped by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores as having mild (1.0‒4.0; n=26) or moderate (4.5‒6.5; n=21) disability. Main outcome measures were whole-body and regional soft tissue composition (%body fat [BF], fat mass [FM], and fat-free soft tissue mass [FFM]), bone mineral content (BMC), and bone mineral density (BMD). Other outcomes included physical fitness, mobility, cognitive processing speed, symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). They found:

• Whole-body and regional %BF and FM were significantly higher, and whole-body and appendicular BMC and BMD were significantly lower in participants with moderate disability than those with mild disability.
• There were no significant differences in whole-body or regional FFM by disability status.
• In the overall sample, body fat correlated significantly with cardiorespiratory fitness, pain symptoms, and psychological HRQOL.
• FFM and BMC correlated primarily with measures of muscular strength.

Pilutti LA, Motl RW. Body composition and disability in people with multiple sclerosis: A dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry study. [Published online ahead of print January 3, 2019]. Mult Scler Relat Disord. doi:10.1016/j.msard.2019.01.009.