Table 1 Main characteristics of ALS patients and control subjects.

Age (years), mean (SD)

294

65.4 (11.0)

504

66.3 (9.8)

Sex

294

504

  Male, N (%)

177 (60.2)

299 (59.3)

School education, N (%)

294

501

  <10^th grade

163 (55.4)

226 (45.1)

  ≥10^th grade

131 (44.7)

275 (54.9)

Smoking

291

503

  Ever, N (%)

134 (46.1)

242 (48.1)

BMI (kg/m²), mean (SD)

294

24.6 (4.1)

502

26.5 (4.0)

  <23, N (%)

110 (37.4)

86 (17.1)

  23 – <25, N (%)

66 (22.5)

113 (22.5)

  25 – <28, N (%)

63 (21.4)

151 (30.1)

  ≥28, N (%)

55 (18.7)

152 (30.3)

Family history of ALS, N (%)

290

504

  Positive

12 (4.1)

2 (0.4)

Occupational work intensity, N (%)

283

498

  Light (mainly sitting)

102 (36.0)

231 (46.4)

  Moderate (standing and walking)

116 (41.0)

203 (40.8)

  Heavy (physically demanding)

65 (23.0)

64 (12.9)

Diabetes mellitus prevalence, N (%)

285

26 (9.1)

492

54 (11.0)

IGF-1 (ng/ml), median (Q1,Q3)

294

101.0 (81.2, 123.0)

504

99.5 (80.7, 120.0)

Time since last meal before blood sampling (h), median (Q1,Q3)

284

3.2 (0.5, 18.5)

487

3.2 (0.25, 17.5)

Time of blood sampling (hh:mm), median (Q1, Q3)

288

11:00 (10:00, 12:30)

496

12:30 (11:30, 13:45)

Site of onset, N (%)

294

  Bulbar

91 (31.0)

  Cervical

75 (25.5)

  Thoracic

13 (4.4)

  Lumbar

100 (34.0)

  Uncertain

15 (5.1)

Revised El Escorial criteria, N (%)

289

  Clinically suspected

47 (16.3)

  Clinically possible

36 (12.5)

  Clinically probable

95 (32.9)

  Clinically probable – lab. supported

81 (28.0)

  Clinically definite

30 (10.4)

ALS-FRS, median (Q1, Q3)

293

39.0 (34.0, 43.0)

Diagnostic delay (month), median (Q1, Q3)

294

5.0 (2.7, 9.0)

Diagnosis to baseline visit (month), median (Q1, Q3)

294

3.6 (2.1, 6.0)