Depression and Quality of Life in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract

The rationale for not providing life-sustaining treatment to severely disabled patients is that a poor quality of life is expected after such treatment. Our studies have shown, however, that ALS patients can experience a satisfactory quality of life without depressive manifestations even if they are severely physically impaired, including in the terminal phase.

Neuromuscular Diseases in the Context of Psychology and Educational Science

“…This also applies if the persons suffering from neuromuscular diseases and having a higher degree of education degree of education report on the general overall quality of life. In contrast to the findings of Robbins et al (2001), Lulé et al (2008), and Raspe (1990), the assessment of overall quality of life within the scope of this survey of persons having a neuromuscular disease is lower than in a comparison sample with persons not suffering from neuromuscular or other chronic diseases.…”

“…Robbins et al (2001) showed that the assessment of the quality of life of patients with ALS does not primarily depend on the physical state of health. In a study by Lulé et al (2008), the average subjective quality of life of ALS patients was 66-72 % and thus in an area that is comparable with healthy control persons. Similar results regarding the fact that many chronically ill people feel "quite well actually" are reported by Raspe (1990).…”

“…In patients with ALS, Lulé et al (2008) discovered confounding variables in terms of education and depressive symptomatology: the higher the degree of education, the lower the depression value. Based on these findings, the first study was to elicit the extent to which persons with various neuromuscular diseases differ from healthy persons in their assessment of overall quality of life, and to what extent education is influencing this aspect.…”

Retrospective Consent to Hemicraniectomy after Malignant Stroke among the Elderly, Despite Impaired Functional Outcome

“…Thus, the fact that impaired functional outcome is more common among patients older than 60 years would suggest lower retrospective consent. On the other hand, evidence shows that patients can accommodate to even severe neurologic deficits over the longer term, especially when they already have experience with functional impairment [17] . Therefore, it is possible that older patients could exhibit higher acceptance of functional deficits.…”

ALS Untangled No.33 Endotherapia

“…The ALSAQ40 is a measure of quality of life in ALS (24). While quality of life is undoubtedly important, it is not tightly linked with physical disability in ALS (25) and can even be influenced by psychiatric interventions (26); thus the ALSAQ40 is not an acceptable primary measure of ALS disease progression. Changes in this quality of life scale cannot be extrapolated to changes in life expectancy.…”