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A Population-Based Case-Controlled Study in Rochester, Minn, 1925 Through 1987

Carmel Armon, MD; Leonard T. Kurland, MD, DrPH; Peter C. O'Brien, PhD; Donald W. Mulder, MD

Arch Neurol. 1991;48(3):283-286.

Abstract
• Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated for the prevalence of antecedent endocrine, metabolic, or vascular diseases among 45 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from the Rochester, Minn, population compared with 90 control subjects matched for sex, year of birth, period of observation, and residence. Hypertension occurred less frequently in male patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (4%) than in control subjects (30%; OR = .10). Because of small population size, no conclusions can be drawn with respect to the following antecedent conditions: thyroid disease (OR = 1.61), coronary artery disease (OR = .58), obesity (OR = .52), diabetes (OR = 1.00), cerebrovascular disease (OR = .21), and peripheral vascular disease (OR = 1.23). The heterogeneity of antecedent thyroid disease makes it highly unlikely that any specific thyroid lesion is causally associated with most cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Hypertension may be a marker for protective factors against the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in men.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Neurology (Dr Armon), the Section of Clinical Epidemiology (Dr Kurland), and the Section of Biostatistics (Dr O'Brien), Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minn. Dr Mulder is an emeritus member of the Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication August 21, 1990.

Presented, in part, at the 41st annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Chicago, Ill, April 16, 1989.

Reprint requests to Section of Clinical Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 (Dr Kurland).

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