Pm. Preux et al., SURVIVAL PREDICTION IN SPORADIC AMYOTROPHIC-LATERAL-SCLEROSIS - AGE AND CLINICAL FORM AT ONSET ARE INDEPENDENT RISK-FACTORS, Neuroepidemiology, 15(3), 1996, pp. 153-160
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurological disease of
unknown etiology and fatal outcome. Patient management can be aided b
y careful assessment of prognostic factors. A prospective study of 158
patients was carried out to examine the prognostic significance of ag
e and clinical form at onset, The overall 5-year survival rate was 14.
7%. The higher the age was at first symptoms, the worse the prognosis.
The bulbar and common forms had a worse prognosis than the pseudo-pol
yneuritic forms. After adjustment for age, the clinical form at onset
remained a prognostic factor. In a multivariate analysis using the Cox
model, these two factors remained independent despite the later onset
of the bulbar forms, In view of the discrepancies between the differe
nt published studies, the evaluation of the survival of an individual
patient is of doubtful value.