Table 2

Longitudinal ALS cohort: patient characteristics and stratification according to ALSFRS_R-based clinimetrics

Groups (progression rate at the last visit; PRL)** (Mean±SEM)Patient numberTime points, rangeAge of onsetNS (mean±SEM)Gender, F/MDisease duration at baseline: (onset to baseline sampling)** (months; mean±SEM)Diagnostic latency* (months; mean±SEM)ALSFRS_R at baseline** (mean±SEM)Ethnicity, non-Caucasian (%)Site of onset, bulbar/limb/both
ALS-Fast (1.252±0.06)182–864.7±1.67/1112.2±1.57.8±1.035.4±1.705/12/1
ALS-Intermediate (0.706±0.02)242–663.4±2.410/1422.0±1.715.4±1.634.7±1.604/20/0
ALS-Slow (0.276±0.02)322–1161.1±1.96/2629.2±2.617.8±2.141.2±1.15.808/26/1
  • Patients with ALS followed up longitudinally are subgrouped according to the PRL: ALS-Fast (PRL>1.0), ALS-Intermediate (PRL 0.5–1.0) and ALS-Slow (PRL<0.5). The three groups of patients differ with regard to in the ALSFRS_R score at baseline, disease duration and diagnostic latency. There is no difference in age of between patients groups *p<0.01, **p<0.0001, NS: not significant. Kruskal–Wallis test.

  • ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; ALSFRS_R, ALS functional rating scale revised; PRL, progression rate at the last visit.