Louwerse et al evaluated prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The authors are from the University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands.
Parameters:
(1) age
(2) gender
(3) site of initial weakness (bulbar, limb, truncal)
|
Age |
Gender |
Site of Initial Weakness |
Median Survival in Years |
|
<= 40 |
NA |
NA |
5.0 |
|
41 - 60 |
male |
limb |
3.4 |
|
41 - 60 |
female |
limb |
1.8 |
|
41 - 60 |
NA |
bulbar <mixed> |
1.8 |
|
> 60 |
male |
limb |
1.4 |
|
> 60 |
female |
limb |
1.0 |
|
> 60 |
NA |
bulbar <mixed> |
1.0 |
|
NA |
NA |
truncal |
0.2 |
(from Table 3, page S15)
where:
• Truncal weakness appears to present as respiratory muscle weakness with shortness of breath.
• In the text they mention that people with mixed sites of initial weakness behave comparable to those with a bulbar site (page S13). I have added this to
Additional factors affecting prognosis:
(1) diagnostic delay (unfavorable if <= 1 year)
(2) dysarthria or dysphagia present at diagnosis (sign of bulbar involvement)
(3) dyspnea at rest present at diagnosis (sign of respiratory involvement)
(4) fasciculations in spinal muscles present at diagnosis (sign of truncal involvement)
Specialty: Neurology
ICD-10: ,
