Table 1.

Clinical characteristics of veterans with ALS, based on the first clinic visit.

	Overall (N=105,%)
Age at symptom onset (years)
Mean (SD)	62.3 (11.2)
Median [Min, Max]	65.0 [33.0, 87.0]
Age at diagnosis (years)
Mean (SD)	64.6 (11.1)
Median [Min, Max]	66.0 [35.0, 88.0]
Age at death (years)
Mean (SD)	66.9 (11.1)
Median [Min, Max]	68.0 [42.0, 89.0]
Onset to death (death-onset) (years)
Mean (SD)	4.12 (3.87)
Median [Min, Max]	3.00 [1.00, 21.0]
Duration (present-onset) (years)
Mean (SD)	2.62 (3.26)
Median [Min, Max]	2.00 [0, 21.0]
Sex
Men	101 (96.2%)
Women	4 (3.8%)
Race
Black	9 (8.6%)
Native American	1 (1.0%)
White	95 (90.5%)
Body mass index
Mean (SD)	26.0 (5.97)
Median [Min, Max]	25.3 [15.5, 45.7]
Smoker	20 (19.0%)
Hypertension	58 (55.2%)
Diabetes mellitus	24 (22.9%)
Hyperlipidemia	49 (46.7%)
ALS type
Appendicular	55 (52.4%)
Bulbar	45 (42.9%)
Respiratory	5 (4.8%)
Depression	30 (28.6%)
ALSFRS-R
Mean (SD)	31.3 (8.34)
Median [Min, Max]	31.0 [14.0, 48.0]
Total functional independence measure
Mean (SD)	90.9 (25.3)
Median [Min, Max]	99.0 [18.0, 123]
Forced vital capacity
<50	14 (13.3%)
50–79	39 (37.1%)
≥80	38 (36.2%)
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy	28 (26.7%)
NIV	36 (34.3%)
Riluzole	70 (66.7%)

ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; ALSFRS-R – Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised; NIV – noninvasive ventilation.