Types of ventilatory support and their indications in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Perrin, C.
Revue Neurologique (Paris) 162(Special Issue 2): 4s261-4s265
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-3787 PMID: 17128121 Document Number: 602046
Respiratory muscle weakness represents the major cause of mortality in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As a result, ventilatory assistance is an important part of disease management. Nowadays, noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has become the first choice modality for most patients and represents an alternative to tracheostomy intermittent positive-pressure ventilation. Although, some consensus guidelines have been proposed to initiate NIV in patients with restrictive chronic respiratory failure, these criteria are discussed regarding ALS. While the current consensus recommends that NIV may be used in symptomatic patients with hypercapnia or forced vital capacity<50p.cent of predicted value, early use of NIV is proposed in the literature and reported in this paper.