Hello, Crystal,
It appears that the data on ALS is primarily based on incidences
worldwide. In a few cases, I have found country-specific data. The
following references should serve to provide a failry comprehensive
overview of ALS statistics.
=============
UNITED STATES
=============
From the Massachusetts Chapter of the ALS Association
http://www.als-ma.org/als/ContentPlus.asp?cmd=CONTENT&articleID=198
"ALS occurs in all races and all around the world. It is not contagious.
* Approximately 2 in 100,000 people get ALS.
* In the United States, approximately 30,000 people are living with ALS. There
are about 5,000 new cases per year, or 15 per day.
Men and women get ALS and nearly equal numbers. ALS can affect people
at any age, and cases have been found in persons as young as 12 and as
old as 98. Approximately 80% of ALS cases begin between the ages of
40 and 70 with the average age of onset being age 55. There appears
to be a trend of more younger patients in their 20's and 30's being
diagnosed with ALS. ALS is classified as either sporadic ALS, meaning
it occurs randomly, or familial, which means other family members have
had ALS."
From the ALS Survival Guide
============================
Basic Statistics
http://www.lougehrigsdisease.net/als_vital_stats.htm
The incidence of ALS is 2 per 100,000.
The prevalence of ALS is 11 per 100,000.
50% of ALS patients die within 18 months of diagnosis.
80% of ALS patients die within 5 years of diagnosis.
10% live more than 10 years.
ALS occurs in all races and all around the world.
Men get ALS more than women (1.5 to 1.0 ratio.)
After the age of 60 the ratio of men to women is nearly 1 to 1.
The average age of onset is 55 years.
80% of ALS cases begin between the ages of 40 to 70.
PALS diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40 have a higher chance of
surviving for 5 years.
==
Statistics on Sporadic ALS may be found on the Neuromuscular Website
(updated May 2004) http://www.neuro.wustl.edu/neuromuscular/spinal/als.htm
Frequency statistics
--------------------
Incidence/100,000/year
Overall: 1.5 to 2; Male = 2.1; Female 1.8
65 to 74 years: Male = 10.2; Female = 7.4
Increases in 1990's in: Females; Patients > 75 years; Southern Europe
Prevalence: 3 to 8 per 100,000
Risk increases with age up to 74 years
Mortality
Causes 1 in 700 deaths
Rate: 1.9/100,000/year
Male: Female 1.5:1
More male predominance in younger onset cases
Onset age
Mean: 56 to 63 years
Only rare cases before 20 years
=========
WORLDWIDE
=========
From "Phytopharm commences phase I MND study." East of England. (January 2004)
http://www.investeastofengland.com/news.asp?id=677&s=general
"Approximately 350,000 patients suffer from ALS world wide, of which
50% die within 18 months of diagnosis. The financial cost to families
of patients is exceedingly high, and it is estimated that in the
advanced stage, care can cost an average of $200,000 per year."
==
Regional factors seem to make little difference in the worlwide incidence of ALS.
According to "Soccer, Neurotrauma and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:
Is There a Connection?" by Ornella Piazza; Anna-Leena Sirén; Hannelore
Ehrenreich. Medscape (5/24-2004)
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:zMw_jYkkYSIJ:www.medscape.com/viewarticle/475273%3Frss+Amyotrophic+lateral+sclerosis+%22per+year%22+AND+germany&hl=en
(Since this is a chached version, you may need to copy and paste the
title into your browser if the link does not work, and click on
"cached" to access the article)
"Globally, the incidence of ALS in the general population ranges
between 0.6 and 2.6 new cases per year per 100 000 inhabitants.[3]
* Based on comparable diagnostic criteria, the incidence of ALS seems
geographically steady, despite differences in terms of genetics,
environment and socioeconomic level of the areas analysed."
===============
UNITED KINGDOM
===============
From "Motor Neurone Diseases." Sobell Departmentof Motor
Neuroscienceand Movement Disorders. (Last modified 12/18/2003)
http://www.sobell.ion.ucl.ac.uk/Pullen/pullenhome.htm
"Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a progressive disease marked by
wasting of muscles and the death of motor neurones in the motor
cortex, lower cranial nuclei, and spinal cord. MND selectively kills
the somatic motor system, although other systems become involved in
late stages of the disease. If affects 1/100,000 people
* (1200 new cases per year in the UK),
and death ensues between 2-5y after onset."
==
From the UK Chapter of the Motor Neuron Disease Association
http://www.mndassociation.org/full-site/what/index.htm
"The estimated number of people with MND in the UK is up to 5,000."
=======
CANADA (not that you asked for it!)
=======
From the ALS Society of Canada
http://www.als.ca/
* Approximately 3,000 Canadians live with ALS.
* Two to three Canadians a day die of ALS.
========
SCOTLAND
========
The Scottish Motor Neuron Disease Association lump country ALS
statistics in with MDS statistics.
"Every year more than 120 people are diagnosed with MND in Scotland."
Forms of MDS according to their site:
http://www.scotmnd.org.uk/What%20is%20MND.htm
=====
ITALY
=====
From "Soccer, Neurotrauma and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Is There
a Connection?" by Ornella Piazza; Anna-Leena Sirén; Hannelore
Ehrenreich. Medscape (5/24-2004)
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:zMw_jYkkYSIJ:www.medscape.com/viewarticle/475273%3Frss+Amyotrophic+lateral+sclerosis+%22per+year%22+AND+germany&hl=en
"In 2003, prevalence of ALS in Northern Italy was 4.1/100 000, mean
age at diagnosis 63.8years, mean survival time after diagnosis 2
years.[4] The prevalence of ALS among the group of Italian football
players under investigation is at least 20 times higher than normal.
In addition, the onset is unusually early, the soccer players being in
their 40s upon diagnosis.[5]
Additional Information concerning Gulf War Veterans and ALS
===========================================================
"Abnormally high number of Lou Gehrig's disease cases identified among
Gulf War veterans." University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
(2003)
http://www8.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept37389/files/110053.html
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS: ETIOLOGY AND IMMUNOPATHOGENESIS
http://www.vaccinetruth.org/amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis.htm
Also see two Neurology journal excerpts
http://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/publications/GFDnews/item1157.htm
Additional Links
==================
Unfortunately, some of the country-based organizations that might have
country specific data are in languages I do not understand. Maybe you
are more conversant in languages other than English!
International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations on the internet
http://www.alsmndalliance.org/directory/index.html
===
I hope this information is helpful. If there is anything further that
I can clarify, please don't hesitate to ask and I will do my best to
help.
Sincerely,
umiat
Google Search Stragety
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis +statistics "per year"
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis AND UK "per year"
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis "by country"
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis "per year" AND germany
ALS websites OR organizations |
