Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: clinical management and research update.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that selectively affects the motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord. ALS occurs in about 1 in 100,000 individuals. Although recent advances have been made in understanding the pathogenesis of ALS, there has been no new effective pharmacotherapy since the approval of riluzole more than 10 years ago. The mainstay of clinical management includes pharmacologic management of symptoms, management of dysphagia and respiratory symptoms, palliative care, and multidisciplinary care clinics. In this review, we discuss the clinical management of ALS, recent modifications to the diagnostic criteria, and current clinical trials.
Andrews
Jinsy
J
The Neurological Institute of New York, 710 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. ja2289@columbia.edu
D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D019782:Riluzole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019782:Riluzole