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Riluzole for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND)
Independent publisher
This describes who publishes a source, not how reliable it is.
Open source (opens in a new tab)Link checked August 2026
About this source
A Cochrane systematic review pooling four randomised trials of riluzole in 1477 people with ALS/MND, measuring survival and the delay before tracheostomy or mechanical ventilation.
Where this source is used
Used in 2 places across 1 domain.
Questions
Medical Care
Treatments
- Do these treatments stop or cure ALS/MND?
Supports this
“In randomised trials riluzole extended median survival by about two to three months.”
Pools four randomised trials of riluzole and puts this size on the survival gain. The review calls the beneficial effects very modest. It covers riluzole only, which is why the answer names riluzole rather than approved treatments as a group.
Riluzole 100 mg daily is reasonably safe and probably prolongs median survival by about two to three months in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Authors' conclusions - How does riluzole work and what can I realistically expect from it?
Supports this
“Riluzole extends survival, or delays the point at which a tracheostomy or ventilation is needed, by roughly two to three months on average.”
A systematic review pooling four randomised trials in 1477 people. It set out to measure exactly this: survival, and the delay before tracheostomy or mechanical ventilation. It found median survival rose from 11.8 to 14.8 months, and describes the effect as very modest.
Riluzole 100 mg daily is reasonably safe and probably prolongs median survival by about two to three months in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Authors' conclusions
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