Premium
Diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Author(s) -
Evans Bradley K.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410310520
Subject(s) - annals , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , neurology , citation , medicine , clinical neurology , service (business) , psychology , library science , psychiatry , classics , computer science , neuroscience , history , disease , economy , economics
The diagnosis of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains clinical with neurophysiological support in absence of specific biomarker(s). The disease is diverse in its presentation, cause, and progression. Treatable mimic syndromes must be excluded before the diagnosis is ascribed: ALS and its variants are recognized by neurologists, but 10% of patients are misdiagnosed. Delays in diagnosis are common. Less than 10% of cases are familial and associated with several interactive genes. The onset of ALS predates development of the clinical symptoms by an unknown interval which may extend several years. Prompt diagnosis, sensitive communication of the diagnosis, involvement of the patient and family, positive care plan, are pre-requisites for the good clinical management of ALS patients.