Disclosures: Ju Hyun Son: Nothing to disclose

Objective: To investigate correlation between oro-buccal symptoms and respiratory function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study for medical record.

Setting: Review of electronic medical records.

Participants: Medical records of 91 patients with ALS were reviewed and this is a cross-sectional study. Of these, 37 had bulbar-onset ALS (bALS) and 54 spinal-onset ALS (sALS).

Interventions: Functional status of subjects was scored using Korean version of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (K-ALSFRS-R) and especially oro-buccal symptoms were assessed using bulbar domain of K-ALSFRS-R (b-K-ALSFRS-R), which consists of speech, salivation and swallowing. Respiratory dysfunction was assessed by pulmonary function test (PFT) and diaphragm fluoroscopy. Parameters were measured as forced vital capacity (FVC), peak cough flow (PCF), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) in supine and sitting position. To assess pulmonary function in a non-oral way, movements of diaphragm while forced respiration were measured in centimeters by fluoroscopy.

Main Outcome Measures: Pearson correlation analyses were performed on the data and P<.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.

Result : In 91 ALS patients, b-K-ALSFRS-R is statistically associated with all parameters of PFT (P<.05). There was the positive linear correlation between b-K-ALSFRS-R and the left forced diaphragm movement (P<.05). In sALS group, the b-ALS-FRS-R was statistically associated with supine FVC, supine MEP, sitting PCF, and sitting MEP (P<.05). Among subjects with bALS, there was no statistically correlation between the b-ALS-FRS-R and any parameter of PFT and diaphragm movements.

Conclusions: This study suggest that oro-buccal symptoms could be predictors for respiratory insufficiency in ALS. In sALS patients revealed correlation with maximal expiratory pressure, trunk muscle strength, in supine and sitting position in sALS patients.

Level of Evidence: Level III

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/correlation-between-orobuccal-symptoms-and-respiration-function-in-als-patients/