title: Serum levels of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and vitamin A in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: To elucidate whether serum alpha and beta-carotene and retinol levels are related with the risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we compared serum levels of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and retinol (vitamin A), measured by HPLC, in 40 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 87 matched controls using an isocratic high performance liquid chromatography 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 not correlate with age, age at onset, and duration of the disease. These results suggest that serum alpha and beta-carotene and retinol concentrations are unrelated with the risk for ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Bustos
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Jiménez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Sola
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zurdo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortí-Pareja
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gasalla
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gómez-Escalonilla
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Ramos
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guillamón
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arenas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene