title: Cardiometabolic health and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) generally have a limited medical history and a normal body mass index, raising the possibility of a premorbid ALS phenotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of cardiometabolic factors was analyzed in 58 ALS patients via comprehensive cardiovascular assessments and compared with Australian population norms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALS patients had good cardiac fitness and no reported cardiovascular events. Average blood pressure, heart rate, PR interval, and corrected QT interval were in the normal range. There were significantly fewer obese women in the ALS cohort (13.6%, P < 0.05) and more men with a normal body mass index than in the general population (47.2%, P < 0.001). The percentage of individuals who had never smoked was greater for the ALS cohort (55.8%, P ≤ 0.001), and the prevalence of dyslipidemia was lower (38.7%) compared with the general population (74.4%, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALS patients had good cardiometabolic health, with evidence of a reduced vascular risk profile. Muscle Nerve 56: 721-725, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, 2050, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Hannah C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Timmins
authors.affiliation: Eastern Heart Clinic, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Wilfred
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Saw
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, 2050, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Benjamin C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Cindy S Y
authors.initials: CSY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Western Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vucic
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, 2050, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebekah M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, 2050, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kiernan
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, 2050, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Susanna B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; cardiometabolic health; cardiovascular; dyslipidemia; premorbid ALS phenotype; risk factors