This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Objective: To determine the incidence of ALS in two regions of Northwestern Italy, utilizing a prospective design.
Methods: The study was performed in Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta (4,418,503 inhabitants) during the period 1995 to 1996. All neurologic departments in the two regions were involved in the study and prospectively collected and followed up ALS cases. Other secondary sources of information were used in order to ensure complete case ascertainment. ALS diagnosis was based on El Escorial criteria. Although all patients with motor neuron disease were enrolled in the follow-up, only probable and definite cases are included in the study.
Results: During the study period, 221 cases of ALS were found (120 men and 101 women), corresponding to a mean annual crude incidence rate of 2.5/100,000 population (95% CI 2.2 to 2.9). The rate was higher for men (2.9) than for women (2.3), and increased with age to a peak in the 75 to 79 age group among men and to the 70 to 74 age group among women.
Conclusions: Comparing these data to those of epidemiologic studies with a similar prospective design, the incidence rates are similar, despite the large differences in terms of genetics, environment, and socioeconomic background. This finding points to diffuse environmental or genetic factors rather than to a specific exogenous toxin in the pathogenesis of ALS.
- Received July 10, 2000.
- Accepted October 10, 2000.
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
