Experience with the Awaji Island modifications to the ALS diagnostic criteria

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains a clinical diagnosis without validated biomarkers. To increase diagnostic sensitivity, an expert group modified the Airlie House diagnostic criteria and formulated new recommendations at a meeting on Awaji Island. Our retrospective analysis of patients referred over a 6-month period to the electromyography (EMG) laboratory for suspected motor neuron disease (MND) showed a higher agreement of the Awaji modifications than the Airlie House criteria with the clinical diagnosis of ALS.