title: Muscle ultrasonography to predict survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: The authors assessed the prognostic value of muscle ultrasonography in 31 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and compared it with accepted prognostic variables like functional capacity (measured with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS)) and muscle strength. Each patient was examined once. The following ultrasonography parameters were determined: muscle thickness, echo intensity (EI) and the presence of fasciculations. Correlations between baseline measurements, preslope values and survival were calculated. EI, disease duration, muscle strength preslope and ALSFRS-R preslope correlated with survival. Using a stepwise multivariate analysis, the combination of EI preslope and ALSFRS-R preslope was shown to have the best predictive value for survival.
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular Centre Nijmegen, Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ilse M P
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Arts
authors.forename: Sebastiaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Overeem
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pillen
authors.forename: Helenius Jurgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schelhaas
authors.forename: Machiel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zwarts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography