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A diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is devastating, carrying with it the expectation of inexorable decline and death over only a few years. Understandably, physicians are often reluctant to make the diagnosis until other viable alternative possibilities have been excluded. Nevertheless, mistakes occur, resulting in significant emotional upheaval and delay in instituting appropriate treatment. This report describes all patients with an incorrect diagnosis of ALS who were referred to the Irish ALS registry between its institution in January 1993 and January 1998.
Thirty-two of 437 patients (7.3%) were ultimately rediagnosed with other conditions. In 18 of these patients, misdiagnosis occurred prior to the formation of the regist…