Characteristics of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Followed by a Home Palliative Care Team

Background: Information about patients with amyothrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) followed at home is limited. Objectives: To assess patients's characteristics at admission to a home palliative care program based on a multidisciplinary team, and the temporal course along the trajectory of ALS disease. Design: Retrospective. Setting/subjects: Charts of a consecutive number of ALS patients who were referred to a specialistic home palliative care were reviewed. Measurement: General data, referral, start of home palliative care, use of ventilator support and nutritional support, were recorded. The existence of advance directives and shared care planning was also collected. Results: 82 patients were examined; 31 patients died before the term of the study and 51 patients were still living. No patient anticipately expressed their will regarding their treatments. However, a certain number of patients shared a care planning with ALS team, generally after starting home care. Most patients did not have ventilatory support at the beginning of home care assistance, but progressively received ventilatory support by NIV or MV, particularly those who were still living. NIV at start of home care was negatively correlated to frontotemporal dementia. (P = 0.015), and directly correlated to referral from hospital and GP (P = 0.031) and awareness of disease (P = 0.034). Gastrostomy at start of home care was positively correlated to referral from hospital (P = 0.046). Gastrostomy during home care was correlated to bulbar SLA (P = 0.017). The use of NIV during home care was positively correlated to shared care planning (P = 0.001). Conclusion: The continuous presence of a multi-specialist team may provide timely intervention, guarantee and trust on the part of the patient and family members.