IBYME   02675
INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA Y MEDICINA EXPERIMENTAL
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Epidemiological, demographic and occupational characteristics of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients in a referral centre
Autor/es:
BETTINI M; GARGIULO MONACHELLI GM; RODRIGUEZ G; SICA REP; REY RC
Lugar:
Napoles Italia
Reunión:
Congreso; XII International Congress on Neuromuscular Diseases; 2010
Resumen:
Epidemiological, demographic and occupational characteristics of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients in a referral centre     Background: Sporadic ALS is a multifactorial disease. The occurrence of ALS within occupational groups and residence areas could aid in elucidating aetiology.Objectives: To describe demographic characteristics, residence area (rural or urban), employment history and social security status of ALS patients who consulted the Ramos Mejia Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the annual hospital incidence of the disease. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 187 patients diagnosed with definite or probable ALS from 2001 to 2008. We used the ISCO (International Standard Classification of Occupation) in the analysis of employment history. Results: The incidence of neurological disease at the hospital was 733/100.000 patients/year and ALS 6/100.000r. From 187 patients, 38.5% were women and 61.5% men. Mean age at diagnosis in women 56 years and in men 53. Site of disease onset (bulbar/spinal) in men and women was 22.6%/77.4% and 39%/61% respectively. In the analysis of occupational history, 38% belonged to elementary occupations, 19.7% to technicians and associate professionals, 10% to craft and related trades workers, 7.48 % to professionals, 7.48% to plant and machine operators and assemblers, 1.6% to services and sales workers. Area of residence rural in 15.5% and 65,24% of patients had no social security.   Discussion: The majority of ALS patients in our hospital had no social security, indicating higher prevalence in lower income groups, probably due to selection bias. The most represented profession was elementary occupations and an important proportion of patients came from rural areas, which might suggest an increased risk of environmental exposure could be related to the occurrence of the disease.