Advance care planning in progressive neurological diseases: lessons from ALS

BMC Palliative Care

Table 1 Characteristics of interviewed patients

Number of interviewees	with ALS/PMA	16/5
Gender	male/female	13/8
Age (range 36–83 years)	< 55 years	7
	55–65 years	9
	> 65 years	5
Disease onset	limb/bulbar	17/4
Functional stage (when interviewed)	ALS-FRS ≥ 40 (including dysarthria^a)	5 (1)
	ALS-FRS 31–39 (including dysarthria^a)	8 (2)
	ALS-FRS ≤ 30 (including dysarthria^a)	8 (4)

ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, PMA Progressive muscular atrophy, ALS-FRS ALS functional rating scale (maximum score: 48; a higher score represents better function retention); ^a moderate or severe dysarthria

ISSN: 1472-684X