Incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from an 8-year population-based study in Central Italy based on healthcare utilization databases.

We show a decrease in the incidence rate of ALS in Marche, during the 2014-2021 period, as a possible outcome of a delayed neurological assessment and diagnosis during the pandemic. An ad hoc developed identification algorithm, based on healthcare utilization databases, is a valuable tool to assess the health impact of global contingencies.