title: Blood lead, manganese, and aluminum levels in a regional Italian cohort of ALS patients: does aluminum have an influence?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and lead (Pb) influence on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) development.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 34 patients (10% of the regional ALS population) and 25 controls of an Italian region were enrolled. Metal concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum Al concentrations in patients and controls were similar and lower than those provided by the Italian Society of Reference Values. No differences were observed in serum Mn concentrations, while, as expected, blood Pb levels were significantly higher in patients with ALS than those in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results confirmed the association between high Pb blood levels and ALS; on the contrary, Al and Mn did not differ significantly in patients and controls, suggesting that Mn and especially Al may play a less important role in the ALS pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Experimental Medicine (Drs Garzillo, Lamberti, Genovese, Pedata, and Feola and Mr Sannolo and Mr Miraglia), Section of Hygiene, Occupational Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Occupational Medicine Area; and Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences (Dr Daniele, Dr Trojsi, and Dr Monsurro), Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Elpidio Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Garzillo
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Genovese
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pedata
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feola
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sannolo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daniele
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trojsi
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Monsurro
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miraglia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000535:Aluminum / Q000097:blood*; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007854:Lead; D008345:Manganese; D000535:Aluminum