Bmc Neurol
-
Initial symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are often subtle and can delay diagnosis. This exploratory analysis was conducted to better characterize the pre-diagnosis pathway undertaken by patients with ALS in the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare longitudinal claims database. ⋯ This analysis describes a diagnostic delay for patients with ALS in the US Medicare population, similar to previous reports. The development of tools and ongoing education that can help to identify patients with ALS earlier in their disease course is needed.