title: Vitamin D levels are associated with gross motor function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to determine whether serum vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels are associated with disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
  
  
  METHODS
  25(OH)D was measured in subjects enrolled in a multicenter study for validation of ALS biomarkers. Baseline 25(OH)D levels were correlated with baseline ALSFRS-R scores. Average 25(OH)D levels from baseline and month 6 visits (seasonally asynchronous) were used to predict subsequent rate of change in ALSFRS-R from month 6 to month 18.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most subjects had either insufficient or deficient 25(OH)D levels. Lower 25(OH)D was associated with lower ALSFRS-R gross motor scores, but not lower ALSFRS-R total scores at baseline. Levels of 25(OH)D were not predictive of disease progression over the next 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  25(OH)D was associated with baseline gross motor ALSFRS-R scores but did not predict the rate of disease progression. Vitamin D levels may reflect poor mobility in patients with ALS. Muscle Nerve, 2017 Muscle Nerve 56: 726-731, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA.|Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paganoni
authors.affiliation: Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA.|Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Macklin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
authors.forename: Chafic
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gonterman
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: K Ashley
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fetterman
authors.affiliation: Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA.|Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Merit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cudkowicz
authors.affiliation: Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA.|Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA.|Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wills
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: biomarker; disease progression; gross motor function; predictor; prognosis; survival