Table 1.

Clinical Characteristics of patients with ALS

variables and subgroups	No.(%),mean ± SD or median (IQR)
Gender
male	129(63.86%)
female	73(36.14%)
Family history
yes	10(4.95%)
no	192(95.05%)
Age of onset, mean ± SD, y	54.28 ± 11.00
Site of onset
bulbar	43(21.29%)
upper limb	111(54.95%)
lower limb	48(23.76%)
Diagnostic delay, median (IQR), mo	11.0(6.0,17.0)
BMI at baseline, mean ± SD, kg/m2	21.71 ± 2.78
ALSFRS-R score, median (IQR)	40(36,44)
ΔALSFRS-R, median (IQR)	0.55(0.32,1.13)
Use of riluzole
yes	156(77.23%)
no	46(22.77%)
PEG
yes	19(9.41%)
no	183(90.59%)
NIPPV
yes	44(21.78%)
no	158(78.22%)
Smoking
yes	84(41.58)
no	118(58.42%)
Hypertension
yes	26(12.87)
no	176(87.13)
Diabetes mellitus
yes	20(9.90%)
no	182(90.10%)

Abbreviation: ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, BMI Body Mass Index, ALSFR-R Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale–Revised, PEG Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy, NIPPV Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation, IQR Interquartile Range, SD Standard Deviation