Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics and psychosocial outcomes.
| Characteristic | ALS− (n = 18) |
ALS+ (n = 12) |
PD− (n = 19) |
PD+ (n = 17) |
HC (n = 36) |
Total (n = 102) |
p Value 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 60.2 ± 9.4 | 56.3 ± 8.5 | 61.7 ± 9.1 | 65.6 ± 8.8 | 62.3 ± 8.8 | 61.7 ± 9.1 | n. s. |
| Sex, male | 61.1% | 50.0% | 63.2% | 76.5% | 50.0% | 58.8% | n. s. |
| Education, years | 13.4 ± 2.2 | 15.4 ± 2.7 | 14.8 ± 2.3 | 14.9 ± 3.2 | 14.2 ± 3.1 | 14.4 ± 2.8 | n. s. |
| Right-handedness | 88.9% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 91.7% | 97% | n. s. |
| Employed | 16.7% | 0% | 26.3% | 0% | 44.4% | 23.5% | <0.001 |
| Disease duration (years) | 2.9 ± 2.8 | 6.2 ± 3.7 | 7.4 ± 5.5 | 13.2 ± 6.4 | - | - | <0.001 |
| ALS-type, sporadic | 83.3% | 100% | - | - | - | - | n. s. |
| ALS-onset, spinal:bulbar | 50%:50% | 75%:25% | - | - | - | - | n. s. |
| ALS-ventilated | 0% | 58.3% | - | - | - | - | <0.001 |
| ALSFRS-R score a | 36.4 ± 5.7 | 5.8 ± 6.0 | - | - | - | - | <0.001 |
| PD-equivalent | - | - | 31.6% | 47.1% | - | - | n. s |
| PD-hypo-kinetic-rigid | - | - | 42.1% | 41.2% | - | - | n. s. |
| PD-tremor dominant | - | - | 26.3% | 11.8% | - | - | n. s. |
| H&Y score b: Median (Range) | - | - | 2.0 (1.5 – 2.5) | 3.0 (3.0 – 4.0) | - | - | <0.001 |
| UPDRS III-score c | - | - | 18.1 ± 8.5 | 27.9 ± 7.2 | - | - | <0.01 |
| DBS (%) | - | - | 10.5% | 52.9% | - | - | <0.01 |
Data presented as Mean ± SD (if not stated otherwise). Abbreviations: ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; PD, Parkinson’s disease; ALSFRS, ALS-Functional Rating Scale; H&Y, Hoehn and Yahr; ALS+, ALS patients with severe motor impairment (ALSFRS-R < 20); ALS−, ALS patients with less motor impairment (ALSFRS-R > 20); PD+, PD patients with severe motor impairment (H&Y < 2.5); PD-, PD patients with less motor impairment (H&Y > 2.5); HC, healthy controls; UPDRS, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale; DBS, deep brain stimulation. a Scores on the ALSFRS-R range from 0 to 48, with lower scores denoting a worse condition; b scores on the H&Y range from 0 to 5, with higher scores denoting a worse condition; c scores on the UPDRS III range from 0 to 108, with higher scores denoting more disability. 1 ANOVA or χ2 test or Mann–Whitney U-Test.