Poor muscle strength, low blood count at an early age could indicate early risk of ALS

Researchers have linked low muscle strength during the latter part of a person’s teen years, as well as low blood counts, to the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurological disease that happens later in life. The study, which was conducted by the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden was published in the Journal of Neurology.

• The research team utilized enlistment data from the Swedish military from 1968 to 2005. The data accounted for 1,819,817 men during the period. This was cross-referenced to records from the Swedish healthcare register and mortality register. During their enlistment, most men were 18 years old.
• The data included 526 men who developed ALS, which is known to affect people above the age of 50. ALS is a condition that severely degrades the nerves that control muscles. The condition has no cure, and patients die as early as after two years.
• This likelihood of developing ALS was measured using the Cox proportional hazards models. It found out that factors such as physical fitness, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, or non-psychotic mental disorders were not linked to the development of ALS.
• However, the current study indicates that the disease can be linked to people with a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) at an early age. However, the difference was too small — those who had ALS had an average BMI of 21.1, while the group had a total of 21.9.
• What the researchers found out was the link between ALS and people with low blood counts at the time of their enlistment, that is, a low proportion of oxygen-rich red blood cells. The team also discovered a correlation between muscle strength in the hands, arms, and legs at the time of enlistment and ALS.

Researchers believe that the findings build on unique evidence that will help determine the likelihood of developing ALS through understanding the links between overall muscle strength and erythrocyte volume fraction in young men.

Find the full text of the study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Åberg M, Nyberg J, Robertson J, Kuhn G, Schiöler L, Nissbrandt H, Waern M, Torén K. RISK FACTORS IN SWEDISH YOUNG MEN FOR AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS IN ADULTHOOD. Journal of Neurology. 2017. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00415-017-8719-1