Riluzole for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Treatment

Key Message

• Treatment with riluzole may provide clinical benefits for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, including longer survival time, reduced risk of disease progression, and minor reversible adverse events, compared to no treatment with riluzole or a placebo.
• We did not find any studies meeting our selection criteria on the clinical effectiveness of riluzole for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared to alternative pharmacological therapies.
• Riluzole may be cost-effective at generic drug costs for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Evidence supporting this finding is limited, and further research is required to inform decision-making.
• Riluzole is recommended for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, except for patients with progressive muscular atrophy, primary lateral sclerosis, or hereditary spastic paraplegia, and should be initiated promptly following disease diagnosis.
• A patient with lived experience of riluzole treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was involved in this report. They identified outcomes that are important to patients, including slowing the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and minimal side effects from the medication.