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Essential trace elements in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Results in a population of a risk area of Italy

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Abstract

Sardinian (Italy) island population has a uniquely high incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Essential trace element levels in blood, hair, and urine of ALS Sardinian patients were investigated in search of valid biomarkers to recognize and predict ALS. Six elements (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Se, and Zn) were measured in 34 patients compared to 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls by a validated method. Levels of Ca and Cu in blood and of Se and Zn in hair were significantly higher in ALS than in controls, while urinary excretion of Mg and Se was significantly decreased. The selected cut-off concentrations for these biomarkers may distinguish patients with or without ALS with sufficient sensitivity and specificity. Many positive (as Se-Cu and Se-Zn) and negative associations (as Ca-Mg and Ca-Zn) between elements suggested that multiple metals involved in multiple mechanisms have a role in the ALS degeneration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy

    Giovanni Forte & Beatrice Bocca

  2. Department of Biomedical Sciences—Histology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

    Riccardo Oggiano, Yolande Asara, Maria Alessandra Sotgiu, Cristiano Farace, Andrea Montella & Roberto Madeddu

  3. Macomer Rehabilitation Center, Macomer, Sassari, Italy

    Simonetta Clemente

  4. National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Rome, Italy

    Yolande Asara & Roberto Madeddu

  5. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

    Alessandro Giuseppe Fois & Pietro Pirina

  6. Department of Medical and Pediatric Science, Research Centre “The Great Senescence”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

    Michele Malaguarnera

Authors
  1. Giovanni Forte
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  2. Beatrice Bocca
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  3. Riccardo Oggiano
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  4. Simonetta Clemente
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  5. Yolande Asara
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  6. Maria Alessandra Sotgiu
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  8. Andrea Montella
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  9. Alessandro Giuseppe Fois
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Correspondence to Beatrice Bocca.

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Forte, G., Bocca, B., Oggiano, R. et al. Essential trace elements in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Results in a population of a risk area of Italy. Neurol Sci 38, 1609–1615 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-3018-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-3018-2

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