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- Title
Assessment of the Clinical and Functional Health Status of Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil Using Telemedicine.
- Authors
Brito, Ozana; Fregonezi, Guilherme; Pondofe, Karen; Vieira, Rayane Grayce da Silva; Ribeiro, Tatiana; Dourado Júnior, Mário Emílio; Fidelix, Emanuela Coriolano; Nagem, Danilo; Valentim, Ricardo; Sarmento, Antonio; Resqueti, Vanessa
- Abstract
This study aimed to monitor the clinical and functional progression of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and adjust ventilatory support during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil using telemedicine. This longitudinal case series included five evaluations from January 2019 to June 2021. The first and second assessments were performed in person and consisted of pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, functionality (ALS Functional Rating Scale—Revised [ALSFRS-R]) and disease staging (King's College criteria). The use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), ALSFRS-R, and disease staging were assessed in the third, fourth, and fifth assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic, using telemedicine. The rate of functional decline was calculated by the difference in the total score of ALSFRS-R between evaluations. A cutoff of 0.77 in the ALSFRS-R was used to characterize the speed of functional decline. Eleven patients (mean age of 51 years, eight males) were assessed. The total score of the ALSFRS-R (p < 0.01) and its motor domain (p < 0.01) reduced significantly during the pandemic. NIV prescription increased from 54.4% to 83.3%. Telemedicine helped with the clinical and functional follow-up of patients with ALS.
- Subjects
BRAZIL; AMYOTROPHIC lateral sclerosis treatment; HEALTH status indicators; RESEARCH funding; FUNCTIONAL assessment; QUESTIONNAIRES; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; FUNCTIONAL status; SYMPTOMS; TELEMEDICINE; LONGITUDINAL method; MUSCLE strength; ARTIFICIAL respiration; RESPIRATORY organ physiology; CLINICAL deterioration; PATIENT monitoring; DATA analysis software; COVID-19 pandemic; RESPIRATORY muscles
- Publication
Healthcare (2227-9032), 2024, Vol 12, Issue 6, p627
- ISSN
2227-9032
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/healthcare12060627