Sex-related differences were found in inflammatory markers and muscle ultrasound measures in an ALS study
Original source
Sex-associated differences in routine inflammatory markers and neuromuscular ultrasound measurements in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a retrospective cross-sectional study. (opens in a new tab)Compass summarised this from the study's abstract.
Study details
- Studied in
- Human
A retrospective study of 135 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) found differences between female and male participants in several blood inflammatory markers and neuromuscular ultrasound measurements. Some differences remained after adjustment for age, disease duration, body size and other clinical factors. The study did not determine whether these measurements predict disease progression or reflect ALS-specific biology.
Why this matters
The findings suggest that sex and body size may need to be considered when interpreting routine inflammatory tests and ultrasound measurements in people with ALS. This was an observational, cross-sectional study and does not change treatment or establish that the differences are caused by ALS.
Limitations and context
The study was retrospective and cross-sectional, with 135 participants and no healthy control group. Some findings were less stable in sensitivity analyses. The authors said that studies with healthy controls, follow-up over time, body-composition measures and independent multicenter cohorts are needed.