Low-grade systemic inflammation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively determine the intensity of systemic low-grade inflammation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).


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.
Keizman
D
D
Department of Oncology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. danielkeizman@gmail.com
Rogowski
O
O
Berliner
S
S
Ish-Shalom
M
M
Maimon
N
N
Nefussy
B
B
Artamonov
I
I
Drory
V E
VE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
D015415:Biomarkers; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein