Publication:

Association of serum uric acid, homocystine and ferritin among amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease which is also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles. There may have association of serum uric acid, homocystine and ferritin with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. But we have not enough data regarding these issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of serum uric acid, homocystine and ferritin with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Methods It was a case-control study conducted in the department of neurology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2010 to December 2011. Finalized 76 study people were divided into two equal groups containing 38 participants in each. In group I (case group) there were 38 patients with ALS and in group II (control group) there were 38 healthy people. The correlation of annual decline of ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALS-FRS) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were analyzed. Data were collected through pre-designed questioners and processed and analyzed by using SPSS version 11.5.

Results In this study the inverse correlation between serum uric acid and the annual decline of ALS-FRS in male, spearman rho correlation was -0.37 (p<0.01) and in female it was -0.78 (p<0.001). The inverse correlation between serum uric acid and the annual decline of FVC were in male, spearman rho correlation was -0.33 (p<0.05) and in female it was -0.39 (p<0.05). Inverse correlation between homocystine and the annual decline of ALS-FRS in male, spearman rho correlation was -0.42 (p<0.02) and in female, it was -0.64 (p<0.001). The inverse correlation between homocystine and the annual decline of FVC in male, spearman rho correlation was -0.41 (p<0.04) and in female, spearman rho correlation was -0.37 (p<0.05). The inverse correlation between serum ferritin and the annual decline of ALS-FRS in male, spearman rho correlation was 0.47 (p<0.01) and in female, spearman rho correlation was 0.76 (p<0.001). The inverse correlation between serum ferritin and the annual decline of FVC in male, spearman rho correlation was 0.49 (p<0.001) and in female, it was 0.71 (p<0.001).

Conclusions In most of the cases we found significant correlation of serum uric acid, serum homocystine and serum ferritin with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). So all these components would be considered as some potential indicators or bio-markers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).