The Role of Adiponectin and Cytokines in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Assessment of Disease Progression and Survival Status

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disorder. ALS typically progresses rapidly, leading to respiratory failure within 3 to 5 years of symptom onset. Identifying risk factors that influence disease progression and survival is critical for enhancing management strategies. The present study therefore investigated the roles of inflammatory factors and adipokines (especially adiponectin) in the progression and prognosis of ALS. Methods: The study included 80 ALS patients, with a follow-up period of 1.5 years. Survival analysis was performed using a Cox regression, with hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) presented via forest plots. Results: Our results indicated that ALS patients in the fast-progressing group exhibited lower levels of adiponectin (p < 0.001) and IL-10 (p < 0.001), as well as higher levels of IL-6 (p < 0.001). The Cox regression and forest plot results suggest the potential of adiponectin (HR=0.91, 95% CI: 0.88-0.95, p<0.001), IL-6 (HR=1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.05, p=0.028), and IL-10 (HR=0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.99, p=0.002) as potential risk factors. Furthermore, we observed that adiponectin (p<0.001), IL-6 (p<0.001), and IL-10 (p<0.001) levels were significantly associated with poorer survival prognosis in the high-risk group. Conclusions: This study identifies adiponectin, IL-10, and IL-6 as key risk factors influencing ALS progression and prognosis.