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Increasing mortality from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Norway?
Y M Seljeseth1, S E Vollset, O B Tysnes
1Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Neurology
|November 23, 2000
Summary
Mortality from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) nearly doubled in Norway between 1961 and 1994, particularly in individuals over 60. This rise in ALS mortality cannot solely be attributed to an aging population.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease.
- Understanding trends in ALS incidence and mortality is crucial for public health planning and research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a potential increase in the incidence and mortality rates of ALS in Norway.
- To compare ALS mortality trends with those of Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Myasthenia Gravis (MG).
Main Methods:
- Utilized Norwegian death certificate data from 1961-1994 for ALS, PD, and MG.
- Related mortality data to population statistics, standardizing for age and sex using the 1990 population.
- Employed Poisson regression to analyze mortality trends and compared ALS data with a concurrent clinical study.
Main Results:
- Annual ALS mortality nearly doubled from 1.38 to 2.54 per 100,000 inhabitants during the study period.
- The increase in mortality was concentrated in individuals over 60 years old, peaking in the 80-84 age group.
- ALS mortality increased more in women than men (ratio 1.32), while Parkinson's Disease showed a similar trend and Myasthenia Gravis did not.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms an increasing trend in ALS mortality in Norway.
- This rise in mortality, primarily in those aged 65 and older, is not solely explained by the aging of the general population.