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Timeliness of diagnosis in motor neurone disease: a population-based study

Colette Donaghy1, Alison Dick, Orla Hardiman

  • 1Department of Neurology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK. Donaghy1a@hotmail.com

The Ulster Medical Journal
|February 14, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Diagnosing motor neurone disease (MND) takes over 15 months, with delays often occurring before patients see a neurologist. Improving access to neurological services could significantly speed up diagnosis times.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Motor Neurone Disease (MND) diagnosis involves significant delays.
  • The Northern Ireland MND register highlighted potential diagnostic process inefficiencies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the length and contributing factors of the diagnostic process for Motor Neurone Disease.
  • To identify specific time intervals contributing most to diagnostic delay.

Main Methods:

  • Population-based study analyzing diagnostic timelines in 73 patients.
  • Division of the diagnostic interval into three key periods: symptom onset to first contact, first contact to neurology referral, and neurology referral to diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • Median time to diagnosis from symptom onset was 15.6 months.
  • Diagnostic delays were shorter in bulbar onset patients but longer in females and those with gait disturbance.
  • The longest delay occurred between first medical contact and neurology referral.

Conclusions:

  • Referral to neurology services represents the most significant delay in MND diagnosis.
  • Enhancing accessibility to neurological services could reduce diagnosis time by at least three months.

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