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134 active trials for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The Safety and Effectiveness of Cholinergic Receptor Block Therapy in the Treatment of ALS

Thirty cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients were recruited from the neurology department of Ruijin Hospital, the pain department and the encephalopathy center of Luwan Branch of Ruijin Hospital. After the informed consent was signed, they were divided into a trial group and a control group. Each group contains 15 cases. The patients in the control group was treated with edaravone dissolved in saline during hospitalization, while the patients in the trial group was treated with edaravone, scopolamine, atropine and dexmedetomidine. Both groups of subjects were treated for 7 days within 3 weeks, followed by a buffer period of 3 weeks for observation, which was one treatment course. The total treatment protocol contains 3 treatment courses (or 18 weeks). Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were evaluated before treatment and 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 weeks after treatment. The observations include whether the functional scores of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Norris amyotrophic lateral sclerosis score, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis self-score, forced expiratory volume in one second, partial pressure of oxygen and maximum displacement of the hyoid were superior to those before treatment, and whether the partial pressure of carbon dioxide was inferior to those before treatment. Study hypothesis: Cholinergic receptor blocking therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is safe and effective in improving motor function and delaying disease progression in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Start: November 2020
Neurobiological and Immunological Mechanisms of Dyspnea in ALS

Dyspnea; subjective experience of respiratory discomfort; which produces negative emotional experience, is the most common symptom of patients afflicted with chronic respiratory failure and its treatments are limited. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) related - dyspnea, due to diaphragmatic dysfunction, is similar to dyspnea during mechanical inspiratory load (activation of the supplementary motor area, SMA). The perception of pain and dyspnea is processed in similar brain areas (insula, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala and medial thalamus) and in ALS; relieving dyspnea by noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is associated with decreased pain thresholds. Otherwise, it is reported systemic elevations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in chronic pain patients, correlating with intensity of pain, and during respiratory load in healthy volunteers. The objectives are to evaluate the cytokines and endorphins rates variations after initiation of NIV in ALS patients, and to correlate cytokines and endorphins rates with the intensity of the affective component and the intensity of the sensory component of dyspnea. The investigators will perform a prospective, experimental study, including 30 ALS patients. Dyspnea, ventilatory and cardiac settings, electromyographic recording of the scalene muscle and biological assays (ACTH, endorphin, Neuropeptide P, BDNF, IL1, IL6, IL8, IL10, TNF), will be measured during spontaneous breathing and during NIV at different times after initiation. The investigators expect a reduction of immunological and neurobiological markers after relieving dyspnea by NIV. This work could lead to the development of new treatments for dyspnea.

Start: July 2022