High incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Faroe Islands 2010-2020

Malan Johansen; Kirsten Svenstrup; Poul Joensen; Bjarni Á Steig; Guðrið Andorsdóttir; Torben Hansen; Maria Skaalum Petersen

doi:10.1002/acn3.51501

High incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Faroe Islands 2010-2020

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2022 Feb;9(2):227-231. doi: 10.1002/acn3.51501. Epub 2022 Jan 20.

Authors

Malan Johansen^{1

2}, Kirsten Svenstrup³, Poul Joensen⁴, Bjarni Á Steig⁴, Guðrið Andorsdóttir⁵, Torben Hansen⁶, Maria Skaalum Petersen^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
² Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
³ Neurological Department, University Hospital Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet and Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
⁴ Medical Department, National Hospital of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
⁵ FarGen, The Genetic Biobank of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
⁶ The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Abstract

The Faroese population isolate harbors epidemiological and genetic characteristics that likely differ from outbred populations. This population-based register study found that the Faroese 2010-2020 crude incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was 4.9/100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3-7.0) and the age- and sex-standardized incidence (US 2010 Census Population) was 4.1/100,000 person-years (95% CI, 2.7-6.0), which is a 68% increase from the 1987-2009 estimate. The 2020 crude prevalence was 9.5/100,000 (95% CI, 3.0-19.6) in a population of 52,912 inhabitants. Incidence and prevalence estimates of ALS in the Faroes are high and further research is warranted to uncover the genetic or environmental determinants of ALS in this population.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / epidemiology*
Denmark / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Incidence
Male
Middle Aged
Registries*

Grants and funding

This work was funded by Aage og Johanne Louis‐Hansens Fond ; Betri Stuðulsgrunnurin; Minister Erna Hamiltons Legat for Videnskab og Kunst ; The Faroese Health Assurance Fund.