Serum levels of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and vitamin A in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

To elucidate whether serum alpha and beta-carotene and retinol levels are r elated with the risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we compared s erum levels of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and retinol (vitamin A), meas ured by HPLC, in 40 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 8 7 matched controls using an isocratic high performance liquid chromatograph y technique. The mean serum alpha and beta-carotene, and retinol levels did not differ significantly between the 2 study groups. These values were not influenced by the clinical form (spinal vs bulbar) of ALS, and they did no t correlate with age, age at onset, and duration of the disease. These resu lts suggest that serum alpha and beta-carotene and retinol concentrations a re unrelated with the risk for ALS.