Predicting respiratory failure in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: recruiting a few good pulmonologists

In the 1980s the United States Marine Corps had an advertising campaign built around the phrase, "The Marines are looking for a few good men" (figure 1). This non-gender-neutral slogan would probably not succeed today, but the sentiment could be applied toward the care of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We're looking for a few good pulmonologists. ALS is a progressive neuromuscular disease in which there is degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons, leading to diffuse muscle weakness and spasticity. It is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease in the USA, and motor neurone disease in the UK. As ALS progresses, patients lose the use of their limbs, develop dysarthria and dysphagia, and most commonly die from respiratory failure [1]. Most cases of ALS are sporadic and idiopathic, but about 10% of cases are due to identified genetic mutations [2].
Source: European Respiratory Journal - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research