[Clinical and environmental aspects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in moroccan population: a study of 60 cases].

BACKGROUND

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common disease of the motor neuron disease. Its etiology remains unknown but several studies incriminate the environmental factors in its genesis.

THE AIM: of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and environmental aspects of ALS in Moroccan population.

METHODS

60 ALS patients were recruited over a period of 5 years from January 2008 to September 2012. Patients were evaluated by detailed record of exploitation. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0.

RESULTS

The average age of the population was 52.1 ± 11.2 years with a sex ratio of M/F = 1.5. The average age of onset was 50 ± 11.7 years. In the group of patients exposed to toxic a significantly higher proportion of solvent exposure was found (p = 0.02). However there was no significant association with exposure to heavy metals, pesticides, or with toxic and eating habits. ALS is more frequent in the west region of Morocco (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The positive association between exposure to solvents and ALS found in our population has been reported in the literature. The frequency of the ALS early west region suggests may be environmental or genetic origin. These results are preliminary and require a multicenter study to have more data and better highlight the environmental characteristics of ALS in the Moroccan population.