Dyspnea in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: The Dyspnea-ALS-Scale (DALS-15) essentially contributes to the diagnosis of respiratory impairment

摘要

Background: Dyspnea is a cardinal but often underestimated symptom in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The newly developed Dyspnea-ALS-Scale (DALS-15) is highly relevant for therapeutic decisions because dyspnea is a separate criterion to consider noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in ALS. In comparison to the limited effects of neuroprotective compounds, NIV has the greatest impact on survival and improves quality of life.