Increased dermal collagen density in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

We examined specimens of skin overlying the sacral region, among the most common sites of bedsores, from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and controls, and found that in ALS patients, collagen fibrils had a greater density and became more tightly packed with the duration of illness. Our results suggest that the increased density of collagen fibrils may protect the skin of ALS patients from pressure ischemia, a major cause of bedsore formation.