Evaluation of Relationship Between Laboratory, Electrodiagnostic, and Functional Parameters in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; A Cross Sectional Study
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset motor neuron disease with a poor prognosis that leads to limb and or bulbar muscle degeneration. Several demographic and biological factors have prognostic importance, but little data exist on the relationship between clinical, electrodiagnostic, and laboratory markers as predictors of disease progression. We aimed to assess the relationships between different aspects of ALS patients’ clinical, electrodiagnostic, and laboratory features and their level of functioning.
We included 27 ALS patients diagnosed within the last two years. A neurology resident conducted clinical assessment and electrodiagnostic studies. The motor unit number index (MUNIX) and compound motor action potential (CMAP) were used to measure motor unit loss. Serum creatinine, urea, albumin, and creatine kinase were measured as laboratory markers. We used the Persian version of the ALS functional rating scale (ALS-FRS) as the main outcome measure. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the correlations using the SPSS software, version 16.
None of the demographic or laboratory parameters were correlated with ALS-FRS. Patients with the onset of disease in the limbs had a higher MUNIX score than those with bulbar onset. Also, increased body mass index (BMI) was associated with lower CMAP and MUNIX scores (P=0.02). Higher serum creatinine levels were significantly associated with higher lower limb MUNIX (P=0.04). Higher lower limb MUNIX was associated with a higher lower limb functional score.
Decreased serum creatinine may indicate lower limb motor unit loss in patients with ALS. Also, MUNIX scores may be used as substitutes for ALS-FRS in ALS trials. Further research is needed to elucidate the clinical application of these findings.
-
Two cases of inclusion body myositis presenting with unusual symptoms, head drop and facial diplegia and different responses to intravenous immunoglobulin treatment
Matineh Heidari, Yalda Nilipour, Fahimeh Hajiakhoundi, Bahram Haghi-Ashtiani *
Current Journal of Neurology, Summer 2022 -
Attitude and Knowledge of Emergency Medicine Professionals Regarding the Use of Tissue Plasminogen Activator in the Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study
Mahsa Ziaee, Zahra Mirza Asgari, Mojtaba Chardoli, Soodabeh Hoveidamanesh, Babak Zamani, Marjan Zeinali, Mostafa Almasi-Dooghaee *
Journal of Iranian Medical Council, Spring 2022 -
The Relationship between Third Ventricle Diameter, Motor Disability , and Cognitive Decline in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
Maede Kamali, Mohammad Taghi Joghataei, Mostafa Almasi-Dooghaee, Mahla Babaie, Sara Esmaeili, Shabnam Nouri-Shirazi, Mohammad Hossein Abbasi, Yasaman Abdi, Zahra Mirzaasgari *
Journal of Iranian Medical Council, Summer 2021 -
Progressive visual and hearing loss as looming manifestations of spinal meningeal melanocytoma
Bahram Haghi-Ashtiani*, Farzad Sina, Fowzieh Ben Isa, Mohammad Rohani
Medical Journal Of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Spring 2010