PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mara Paneroni
AU  - Deborah Trainini
AU  - Manuela Saleri
AU  - Roberta Peroni
AU  - Michele Vitacca
TI  - Cough ability and oxygen saturation (OS) home monitoring in amyotrophic lateral sclarosis (ALS) patients: Preliminary data
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p948
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p948.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p948.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Background: Cough measure by Peak Cough Expiratory Flow (PCEF) and OS monitoring are crucial in ALS time course.Purpose: In ALS patients (ALS score < 35, MIP< 80% and MEP < 100% prd, PCEF <450 L/m) until drop out (refuse, death, family problems, care under other health facility) were evaluated: a) feasibility of home daily PCEF and OS measurements b) PCEF and OS changes c) PCEF and OS variation before and during each new respiratory derangement event (RDE).Methods: The patient/caregiver was requested to measure every day PCEF and OS and to annotate RDE.Results: 10 patients were enrolled. Two patients refused to start the project when at home. Eight patients measured PCEF and OS for 185±173 consecutive days (range 13–431 days) making a 1.246 measurements. Six out 8 patients dropped-out; daily feasibility worsened from 80% in the first week to 25% at the end of the study. The mean compliance to measurements was 86.3% (range 38-100%). Four out 8 patients showed 6 strong RDE. PCEF daily decay (PDD) was 1.29±2.27. No statistically significant changes in OS were found (from 95.25±1.5 to 95.13±1.71). PDD and OS variations were not different in patient with or without RDE. Both PCEF and OS measured at the first day of RDEs were not significantly different when compared to values before (15 days) and after (30 days) the six RDEs.Conclusion: In ALS patients, long term feasibility of PCEF and OS daily monitoring is unsatisfactory because of high drops out. However, patient's compliance to measurements resulted high. The PCEF daily decay is extremely variable while OS value remains constant. PCEF and OS don't seem to be influenced by a RDE.