The Awaji criteria increases the diagnostic sensitivity of the revised El Escorial criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis in a Chinese population

Objectives The accurate and early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is important for extending the life expectancy of patients. However, previous studies that have assessed the diagnostic sensitivities of the Awaji criteria (AC) and the revised El Escorial criteria (rEEC) in patients with ALS have been inconsistent, most of them were consensual regarding the advantage of Awaji over conventional criteria. Our study sought to compare the roles of AC and rEEC in the diagnosis of ALS. Methods Data from a total of 294 consecutive patients with ALS were collected between January 2014 and August 2015 in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The clinical and electrophysiological records of 247 patients were eventually analyzed. The primary outcome measures were the sensitivities of the AC and rEEC for the diagnosis of ALS. Results The sensitivity of probable or definite ALS as diagnosed with the AC (78%) was greater than that of the rEEC (36%, P < 0.001). Following the application of the AC, 103 of the 147 patients categorized as probable ALS-laboratory supported from the rEEC were upgraded to probable or definite ALS, and 44 were downgraded to possible ALS. Conclusions Our data demonstrated that the AC exhibited greater diagnostic sensitivity than the rEEC in a Chinese ALS population. The use of the AC should be considered in clinical practice.