Clinical Study
Identification of Personal Factors in Motor Neurone Disease: A Pilot Study
Table 1
Characteristics of motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND/ALS) participants—demographics and disease features.
| Variable | Average/Frequency |
| Age (mean ± SD (range) | (43–80) | Sex [ (%)] | | Male | 29 (65.9) | Female | 15 (34.1) | Marital status (, %) | | Married/partner | 34 (77.3) | Divorced/separated/single | 10 (22.7) | Race (, %) | | Caucasian | 44 (100%) | Living [ (%)] | | Alone | 8 (18.2) | Family | 36 (82.8) | Geographical area | | Metropolitan [ (%)] | 27(61.4) | Rural [ (%)] | 17 (38.6) | Diagnosis of ALS (El Escorial criteria) [ (%)] | | Clinically definite ALS | 14 (31.8) | Clinical probable ALS | 17 (38.6) | Probable ALS (Lab Supported) | 5 (11.3) | Possible ALS | 4 (9.1) | Suspected ALS | 4 (9.1) | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale-revised (ALSFRS—R [ (%)] | | 0–12 | 3 (6.8) | 13–24 | 15 (34.1) | 25–36 | 12 (27.3) | 37–48 | 14 (31.8) | Comorbidities (, %) | | Yes | 28 (63.6) | None | 16 (36.4) | ≥2 comorbidities | 14 (50.0) | Clinical symptoms (, %) | | Fatigue | 34 (77.3) | Pain | 22 (50.0) | Spasticity/cramps/spasms | 32 (72.7) | Emotional lability | 21 (47.7) | Shortness of breath | 8 (18) |
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