[Prognosis of multiple system atrophy--survival time with or without tracheostomy]

Prognosis of 21 patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) who deceased or received tracheostomy is described. The percentage of patients with MSA among the cases of spinocerebellar degeneration was 40% in National Tokyo Hospital. There were 12 women and 9 men, and the mean age at onset was 56 years. Seventy-four percent of MSA patients was olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA), 22% was striatonigral degeneration (SND). The mean age of 17 deceased patients (10 women, and 7 men) was 65.5 years. Ten patients did not undergo tracheostomy and deceased, and 11 patients underwent tracheostomy, among whom 4 patients are still alive. Mean duration of illness from onset to death (without tracheostomy) or tracheostomy was 6.8 years. Cause of death of patients who did not undergo tracheostomy was related to paresis of the larynx or pharynx, for example, aspiration pneumonia due to dysphagia, vocal cord paralysis and sudden death. Some of those who underwent tracheostomy deceased for causes which were not directly related to MSA such as cerebral hemorrhage or uremia, but others seem to be related to some problems of respiratory center such as central chronic respiratory failure, or sudden death (sometimes it happened after infection, but the obstruction of the respiratory tract was not always present at autopsy).