Serum levels of coenzyme Q(10) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

To elucidate whether serum coenzyme Q(10) levels are related with the risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we compared serum levels of coenzyme Q(10) and the coenzyme Q(10)/cholesterol ratio, in 30 patients with ALS and 42 matched controls using a high performance liquid chromatography technique. The mean serum coenzyme Q(10) levels and the coenzyme Q(10)/cholesterol ratio did not differ significantly between the 2 study groups. These values were not influenced by the clinical form (spinal vs. bulbar) of ALS, and they did not correlate with age, age at onset, and duration of the disease. These results suggest that serum coenzyme Q(10) concentrations are unrelated with the risk for ALS.