Factors associated with post-tracheostomy survival in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with post-tracheostomy survival using three well-characterized cohorts of patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

ALS patients from the Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta ALS Register (PARALS) diagnosed between 1995-2019 interval who underwent tracheostomy were included. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors associated with post-tracheostomy survival. Significant findings were tested in two independent cohorts, the Emilia-Romagna Region ALS Register (ERRALS) and an incident ALS cohort from South Sardinia.

A total of 449 patients from PARALS underwent tracheostomy during the study period, with a median post-tracheostomy survival of 16.3 months (IQR 4.0-45.0). Younger age at tracheostomy was associated with longer survival (HR 1.03 per one-year increase, 95%CI1.01-1.05, p = 0.001), as being married/cohabiting (HR 0.78, 95%CI0.61-0.98, p = 0.033), a longer diagnosis-to-tracheostomy interval (HR 0.84 per one-year increase, 95%CI0.79-0.90, p < 0.001) and a lower ALS Functional Rating Scale slope from onset to tracheostomy (HR 1.13 per one-unit increase, 95%CI1.03-1.25, p = 0.012). These associations were replicated in the independent cohorts, when data were available. Additionally, discharge to nursing homes was associated with poorer survival in the Sardinian cohort (HR 4.23, 95%CI2.49-7.19; p < 0.001), whereas a more recent year of tracheostomy was associated with longer survival in the ERRALS cohort (HR 0.95, 95%CI0.90-0.99; p = 0.019).

We identified multiple factors associated with post-tracheostomy survival in ALS patients, encompassing clinical and demographic characteristics at tracheostomy as well as local factors influencing peri- and post-operative care. These findings may support decision-making and clinician-patient communication in the advanced stages of ALS.