Lung Volume Recruitment Combined With Expiratory Muscle Strength Training in ALS

Status:	Recruiting
Conditions:	Neurology, Neurology
Therapuetic Areas:	Neurology
Healthy:	No
Age Range:	18 - Any
Updated:	5/9/2018
Start Date:	March 1, 2018
End Date:	December 2021
Contact:	Valerie Ferment
Email:	alsresearch@umn.edu
Phone:	612-301-1535

A Pilot Study of Lung Volume Recruitment Combined With Expiratory Muscle Strength Training in ALS

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of two treatment techniques called
Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) and Lung Volume Recruitment (LVR) on breathing,
swallowing, speech, and cough function in persons with mild to moderate ALS. Half of the
participants will do EMST alone, and the other half of the participants will do EMST and LVR.

Inclusion Criteria:

- ALS defined as possible, laboratory-supported probable, probable, or definite by El
Escorial criteria

- Reduced Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP) compared to norms for age and sex

- Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) > 65% predicted

Exclusion Criteria:

- Inability to provide informed consent

- Relative contraindications to LVR, including known pneumothorax, active internal
bleeding, unstable hypertension, unstable angina, emphysema, recent barotrauma, or
FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume, trial 1)/FVC ratio < 0.7.

- Use of EMST or breath stacking > 3 days/week within 12 weeks of screening

- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Cognitive Behavioral Scale (ALS-CBS) score predictive of
dementia (≤ 10)

- Participation in another clinical trial of an intervention in ALS within 30 days of
study enrollment or during study enrollment

We found this trial at

sites

Univ of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

(612) 625-5000