4 ALS cases are on the rise studies show that prevalence rates increased from 3.7 per 100,000 in 2002 to 5.5 per 100,000 in 2017. 3 An analysis of the National ALS Registry reported an incidence of 1.5 to 1.7 cases per 100,000 between 20 in the United States. ALS is progressive, fatal, and incurable.Įvery 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone dies from it. 2 The disease occurs in the lateral area of the spinal cord where nerve cells that signal and control muscles are found, and neuronal degeneration causes sclerosis (ie, hardening or scarring). Amyotrophic comes from the Greek language where “a” means “no,” “myo” means “muscle,” and “trophic” means “nourishment,” meaning the muscles lack nourishment until they atrophy, or waste away. One neurodegenerative disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig disease. 1 When neurodegenerative diseases alter this process, the effects are debilitating. ![]() They are the most diverse cells in the body with hundreds of different types possessing specific message-carrying abilities. Neurons are fundamental components of the brain and nervous system, and their proper function is critical to transmission of messages and stimuli throughout the body. The grim prognosis and sure progression to death creates considerable burden and reduces quality of life for patients and caregivers.Īm J Manag Care. Misdiagnosing ALS can have devastating consequences, including unnecessary emotional burden, delayed and/or inappropriate treatment, and undue financial burden. Reliable, accessible biomarkers are needed to aid early ALS diagnosis, differentiate from ALS-mimicking diseases, predict survival, and monitor disease progression and treatment response. Diagnosis is based primarily on clinical signs and symptoms and exclusion of other causes of motor neuron dysfunction. Patients who develop ALS often experience diagnostic delays (10-16 months on average), and its heterogeneity contributes to that delay. About 10% of cases are related to genetic variants. Until recently, few risk factors were known, but some are newly emerging. On average, patients survive about 3 to 5 years from symptom onset. The incidence of this incurable disease is increasing in the United States, and its prognosis is grim. ![]() As upper and lower motor neurons fail, inability to transmit messages to the muscles causes muscle stiffness, atrophy, and wasting. To claim CE credit for this activity, please visitĪmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig disease, is a progressive, always-fatal neuromuscular disease characterized by motor neuron degeneration in the brain and spinal cord.
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