title: Vitamin D levels are not predictors of survival in a clinic population of patients with ALS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to measure serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, bone mineral density (BMD), and the parameters of bone metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, and their correlation with survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed data of 100 ALS patients who consecutively visited a single referral ALS clinic between January and December 2011. Sex; age and site of symptom onset; and death were recorded. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was dichotomized as <10ng/ml and ≥10ng/ml.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was absent relationship between serum 25(OH)D and concentration of bone turnover parameters or between 25(OH)D and BMD. According to the results of the Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test, the survival rates of patients without (≥10ng/ml) and of those with severe vitamin D deficiency (< 10ng/ml) were not significantly different. Cox regression analysis showed that a poor prognosis was most correlated with older age at onset and bulbar onset after adjustment for all the clinical factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, vitamin D levels were not correlated to other bone markers and survival in a clinic population of ALS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Gachon University, Gil Medical Center, 21, Namdong-daero, 774 Beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21565, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jiwon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, 75, Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan 47392, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Gachon University, Gil Medical Center, 21, Namdong-daero, 774 Beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21565, South Korea. Electronic address: neurohm@gilhospital.com.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Mi
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, South Korea. Electronic address: kimsh1@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D015519:Bone Density; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Bone density; Survival; Vitamin D