title: Cerebrospinal fluid filtration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: By means of a randomized, controlled and open study the authors wanted to find out if cerebrospinal (CSF)-filtration was of substantial benefit to patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). Five SALS patients, aged 51-75 years, being treated with riluzole underwent CSF-filtration daily over five days (group A). Five other SALS patients, aged 52-70 years, were treated only with riluzole (group B). Although all five patients in the first group reported a subjective benefit following CSF- filtration, the Norris score, the Frenchay score, the vital capacity, the ulnar nerve F-wave persistence and the peak-ratio of the brachial biceps and anterior tibial muscles did not change significantly after five days of therapy, either in group A or in group B. In conclusion, filtration of 200-250 ml CSF daily, over five days, does not seem to have a substantial therapeutic effect in patients with SALS.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research in Epilepsy and Neuromuscular Disorders, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finsterer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mamoli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019782:Riluzole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019782:Riluzole