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Updated: May 25, 2026

A Protocol for Comprehensive Assessment of Bulbar Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Published on: February 21, 2011
Epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients in a centre in Buenos Aires
Mariela Bettini1, Gisella M Gargiulo-Monachelli, Gabriel Rodríguez
1Neurology Department, J.M. Ramos Mejía Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. marielabettini@yahoo.com.ar
Unlabelled:
Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) is considered a multifactorial disease with genetic and environmental factors causing motor neuron degeneration.
Objective:
To describe the epidemiological and occupational characteristics of patients with sALS who attended the Ramos Mejía Hospital at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Method:
We analyzed the medical records of sALS patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2008. All occupations were coded according to the International Standard Classification of Occupation (ISCO).
Results:
187 patients were assessed, 38.5% were women and 61.5% men. Mean age at diagnosis was 55 years. 16% of them came from rural areas; 68% of the studied population had no health insurance. 40% were employed in elementary occupations, 19 were technicians and 8 handicraftsmen.
Conclusion:
The most represented profession was elementary occupation. A large proportion of patients came from rural areas, which might suggest an increased risk of environmental exposure to an unknown agent in those regions.
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