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Progression rate of ALSFRS-R at time of diagnosis predicts survival time in ALS

From the Division of Neurology, First Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Fumiharu Kimura, Division of Neurology, First Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Medical College, Daigaku-machi 2-7, Takatsukishi, Osaka, Japan 569-8686; e-mail: in1110{at}poh.osaka-med.ac.jp

The authors calculated the progression rate (FS) using the total revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) and symptom duration at diagnosis in 82 Japanese patients with ALS. Survival (death or tracheostomy) differed significantly with the FS and postdiagnostic period according to log-rank testing, but Cox proportional hazards modeling revealed no strong association between total ALSFRS-R and mortality, suggesting that the FS provides an additional predictive index beyond ALSFRS-R alone.

Supported by grants from Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (15590916) from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and The Osaka Medical Research Foundation for Incurable Diseases.

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Received March 9, 2005. Accepted in final form October 7, 2005.

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