title: Body composition analysis as an indirect marker of skeletal muscle mass in Huntington's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skeletal muscle wasting is likely to play an important role in the Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis. Our aim was to analyze the body composition, and specifically fat-free mass (FFM), as an indirect marker of skeletal muscle in patients with HD, and its association with HD severity and energy balance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, case-control study. Body composition was analyzed using bioelectrical impedance. Information was collected as regards of the anthropometrics, disease severity [Unified Huntington Disease Rating (UHDRS) and Total functional capacity (TFC) scores], CAG repeats, protein catabolism, energy intake and energy expenditure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty two patients with HD [mean age 50.3±15.6, mean UHDRS of 27.9±23.7, median TFC of 11 (IQR: 7; 13); median body mass index 23.6 (IQR: 26.8; 22.5)], and 18 controls were included. Both groups were similar in terms of age, gender, body mass index, body composition, physical activity level, and protein catabolism. FFM was correlated with energy intake (r=0.73, p<0.001), resting energy expenditure (r=0.64, p=0.001) and physical activity (r=0.54, p=0.003), but not with CAG repeats, or HD severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results do not support the presence of significant muscle wasting in patients with early-moderate Huntington's disease. However, to prevent muscle wasting in HD, dietary strategies, in addition to physical exercise, should be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Hospital Universitario Burgos, Spain. Electronic address: mcubo@saludcastillayleon.es.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cubo
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, Hospital Universitario Burgos, Spain.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rivadeneyra
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Hospital Universitario Burgos, Spain.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gil-Polo
authors.affiliation: Statistical Consulting, Burgos, Spain.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Armesto
authors.affiliation: Palaeophysiology Research Group, National Research Center on Human Evolution (CENIEH), Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mateos
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Hospital Universitario Burgos, Spain.
authors.forename: Natividad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mariscal-Pérez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Bioimpedancy; Body composition; Body mass index; Energy; Fat mass; Fat-free mass; Huntington's disease; Skeletal muscle