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Low‐grade systemic inflammation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Author(s) -
Keizman D.,
Rogowski O.,
Berliner S.,
IshShalom M.,
Maimon N.,
Nefussy B.,
Artamonov I.,
Drory V. E.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01112.x
Subject(s) - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , inflammation , systemic inflammation , medicine , pathology , disease
Objective – To prospectively determine the intensity of systemic low‐grade inflammation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Patients and methods – Patients with ALS and matched healthy controls underwent blood tests for inflammation‐sensitive biomarkers: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), quantitative fibrinogen, wide‐range C‐reactive protein (wrCRP) concentrations, leukocyte count and neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The correlation between these inflammatory biomarkers and disability status of the patients, expressed by the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS‐R), was evaluated. Results – Eighty patients with ALS and 80 matched controls were included. wrCRP, fibrinogen, ESR and NLR values were significantly elevated in patients compared with controls. There was a significant correlation between the ALSFRS‐R score and wrCRP, ESR and fibrinogen levels. This correlation persisted on sequential examinations. Conclusions – A systemic low‐grade inflammation was detected in patients with ALS and correlated with their degree of disability. A heightened systemic inflammatory state is apparently associated with a negative prognosis in ALS.