ALS Flashcards
risk factors for ALS
- male > female
- white, non-hispanics minorities
- geographical clusters
- family history
- age (55-75)
- prior trauma or TBI
____________ levels are higher in patients with limb-onset ALS
creatine phosphokinase
What is required for clinical diagnosis of ALS?
pattern of observed and reported symptoms of both UMN and LMN as well as persistent decline in physical function that cannot be attributed to other disorders
El Escorial Criteria for Diagnosis of ALS
Exclusion of all other Dx + Progressive Functional Decline AND
- Progressive UMN and LMN deficits in >/= 1 region of the human body
OR
- LMN deficits in >/= 1 limb/region as defined by clinical examination and/or by EMG in 2 clinical regions
The Gold Coast Criteria for Diagnosis of ALS
- Exclude other disease AND
- Progressive motor impairment documented by hx or repeated clinical assessment, proceeded by normal motor function AND
- Presence of UMN and LMN signs in >/= region or LMN dysfunction in >/= 2 regions
What is the most common impairment of ALS?
focal, asymmetrical muscle weakness beginning in LE or UE, or bulbar weakness
- LMN weakness»_space; UMN weakness
What muscles are usually spared until terminal stages?
- eye
- bowel and bladder
common UMN impairments
- spasticity
- hyperreflexia
- clonus
- pathological reflexes
- weakness
LMN impairments
- hyporeflexia
- hypotonicity
- atrophy
- fasciculations
- weakness
What is bulbar weakness?
lower cranial nerves that control talking, swallowing, chewing (mouth, throat and neck)
Bulbar impairments
- spastic or flaccid bulbar palsy
- dysarthria
- dysphagia
- sialorrhea (excessive salivation)
What are early S&S of respiratory impairments?
- fatigue
- dyspnea on exertion
- difficulty sleeping in supine
- frequent awakening at night/excessive daytime sleeping
- recurring sighing due to lack of O2
- morning headaches
Vital capacity of ________ = significant risk of impending respiratory failure or death
25-35%
What is typically spared for most of the disease course?
- sensory pathways
- ocular motor function
- sphincter (bowel/bladder) control
What are early signs of limb onset classical ALS? bulbar classical ALS
- progressive limb weakness
- reduced dexterity
- wasting of hands
- muscle fasciculations
Bulbar
- wasting of tongue and muscles for speech and swallowing
- and all above signs
What causes the first symptoms of limb-onset classical ALS?
damage to motor neurons in motor cortex, specifically corticospinal tracts
What causes the first symptoms of bulbar-onset classical ALS?
damage to motor neurons in brainstem, specifically corticobulbar tracts (face, head, necks muscles)
What are some examples of first symptoms seen with bulbar-onset?
- CN IX and XII causing dysarthria and dysphagia
- tongue atrophy, tongue fasciculations
- vocal cord spasms
S&S of primary lateral sclerosis
UMN ONLY
- spasticity
- UMN pattern weakness
- pseudobulbar findings