Retrospective study of ALS in French military personnel

An apparent increased risk for developing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease, is considered to exist in the military population. ALS military and veteran patients were retrospectively recruited in April 2008 by searching medical data (Hippocrate) and repayment data (Erasme) of the French National Military Health Care Fund (Caisse nationale militaire de sécurité sociale, CNMSS) from de January 1991 to December 2007. We report a series of 73 patients, 69 male and four female, average age of 52.5 years (range 27 to 72 years) with a peak of patients in the 50-59 year age class. The branch of military service was Army (n=26 patients), Air force (n=14), Navy (n=10) and State Police Force (n=22). The incidence among male active duty military personnel was stable from 2002 to 2007; it was less than the general population (1.7/100,000 per year in 2007), but higher in the 40-44 and 50-54 year age classes (1.90 and 5.07/100,000 per year in 2007 respectively). Duration of active duty was on average 31 years. The retrospective nature of the data and the incomplete population with loss of retired military personnel without CNMSS affiliation are limitations of our study. Another means of collecting all cases of ALS among French military personnel and veterans would be to conduct a search in the 17 ALS centers in France with analysis by occupational activity for entire career.