SCD indices are higher in ALS patients than in control subjects.

<p>(A) Palmitoleate to palmitate ratio (16:1/16:0) in serum and blood cells from ALS patients (ALS) and control subjects (CT). (B) Oleate to stearate ratio (18:1/18:0) in serum and blood cells from ALS patients (ALS) and control subjects (CT). *<i>p</i><0.05, **<i>p</i><0.01, ***<i>p</i><0.001 (Mann-Withney test, n = 48).</p

Blood cell 16:1/16:0 ratio correlates with disease progression and affects survival of ALS patients.

<p>Correlation between 16:1/16:0 and 18:0/18:1 ratios and disease duration (A, E) at blood collection or ALSFRS-R slope (B, F), determined as the decline of the score over a period of six months starting at the point of blood collection. Correlation coefficients (r) and <i>p</i>-values are indicated. n.s., non-significant <i>p</i>-value (Spearman test, n = 111). Based on the median ratio of the population, ALSFRS-R decline is shown in patients with low or high 16:1/16:0 ratio (C), and in patients with low or high 18:1/18:0 ratio (G). *<i>p</i><0.05 (Mann-Withney test). (D, H) Kaplan-Meier curves of survival in the subgroups of patients as above. Survival was the interval between the point of blood collection and death. <i>P</i>-values are indicated (Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test, n = 117).</p

Analysis of the survival of ALS patients using multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.

<p>Analysis of the survival of ALS patients using multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.</p

Clinical and biochemical characteristics of ALS patients and control subjects.

<p>*<i>p</i><0.05 (Mann-Withney test).</p><p>ALSFRS-R, ALS functional rating scale-revised; BMI, body mass index.</p