title: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Iranian patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty subjects with ALS were randomly assigned to two groups, which received either subcutaneous G-CSF (5 μg/kg/q12h) or placebo for 5 days. The subjects were then followed up for 3 months using the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), manual muscle testing, ALS Assessment Questionnaire-40, and nerve conduction studies. CD34+/CD133+ cell count and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were evaluated at baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of disease progression did not differ significantly between the two groups. The reduction in ALSFRS-R scores was greater in female subjects in the G-CSF group than in their counterparts in the placebo group. There was a trend toward a positive correlation between baseline CSF MCP-1 levels and the change in ALSFRS-R scores in both groups (Spearman's ρ=0.370, p=0.070).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the protocol implemented in this study, G-CSF is not a promising option for the treatment of ALS. Furthermore, it may accelerate disease progression in females.
authors: Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Nasibeh
authors: N
authors: Amirzagar
authors: Neurology Department, Tehran Shariati Hospital, University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Shahriar
authors: S
authors: Nafissi
authors: Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Abbas
authors: A
authors: Tafakhori
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Amirhossein
authors: A
authors: Modabbernia
authors: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Aliakbar
authors: A
authors: Amirzargar
authors: Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Majid
authors: M
authors: Ghaffarpour
authors: Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Bahaddin
authors: B
authors: Siroos
authors: Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. harirchn@hotmail.com.
authors: Mohammad Hossein
authors: MH
authors: Harirchian
keywords: ALS Functional Rating Scale; CD34+/CD133+ cells; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; compound motor action potential; granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; monocyte chemoattractant protein-1