Epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients in a centre in Buenos Aires.
Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) is considered a multifactorial disease with genetic and environmental factors causing motor neuron degeneration.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiological and occupational characteristics of patients with sALS who attended the Ramos Mejía Hospital at Buenos Aires, Argentina.


METHODS
We analyzed the medical records of sALS patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2008. All occupations were coded according to the International Standard Classification of Occupation (ISCO).


RESULTS
187 patients were assessed, 38.5% were women and 61.5% men. Mean age at diagnosis was 55 years. 16% of them came from rural areas; 68% of the studied population had no health insurance. 40% were employed in elementary occupations, 19 were technicians and 8 handicraftsmen.


CONCLUSIONS
The most represented profession was elementary occupation. A large proportion of patients came from rural areas, which might suggest an increased risk of environmental exposure to an unknown agent in those regions.
Neurology Department, J.M. Ramos Mejía Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. 　marielabettini@yahoo.com.ar
Mariela
M
Bettini
Gisella M
GM
Gargiulo-Monachelli
Gabriel
G
Rodríguez
Raul C
RC
Rey
Liliana Martinez
LM
Peralta
Roberto E P
RE
Sica
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009790:Occupations; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult