Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis laboratory findings
Introduction
Overview
Overview
There are no diagnostic laboratory findings associated with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but workup is done to rule out other neurodegenerative diseases.
Laboratory Findings
Laboratory Findings
- Typical labs drawn in patients with ALS are:
- Heavy metal screening is indicated in patients with a potential history of exposure.[1][2]
- In Ashkenazi Jews, B-hexaminidase subunits alpha and beta activity should be tested because deficiency in this enzyme mimics ALS, but in reality is the rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder, Tay-Sachs.[1][2]
- Other clinical laboratory tests that may be abnormal in otherwise typical case of ALS include:[3][4]
- Muscle enzymes (serum creatine kinase [unusual above ten times upper limit of normal, ALT, AST, LDH)
- Serum creatinine (related to loss of skeletal muscle mass)
- Hypochloremia, increased bicarbonate (related to advanced respiratory compromise)
- Elevated CSF protein (uncommonly more than 100 mg/dl)
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Zarei S, Carr K, Reiley L, Diaz K, Guerra O, Altamirano PF; et al. (2015). “A comprehensive review of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis”. Surg Neurol Int. 6: 171. doi:10.4103/2152-7806.169561. PMC 4653353. PMID 26629397.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hardiman O, van den Berg LH, Kiernan MC (2011). “Clinical diagnosis and management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis”. Nat Rev Neurol. 7 (11): 639–49. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2011.153. PMID 21989247.
- ↑ Wijesekera LC, Leigh PN (2009). “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis”. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 4: 3. doi:10.1186/1750-1172-4-3. PMC 2656493. PMID 19192301.
- ↑ Brooks BR, Miller RG, Swash M, Munsat TL, World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases (2000). “El Escorial revisited: revised criteria for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis”. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord. 1 (5): 293–9. PMID 11464847.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mohamadmostafa Jahansouz M.D.[2]