Vienna clinic reports longer survival after switching to specialised ALS care
- Study published
- Added to this website
In 2018 the neurology department of the Medical University of Vienna opened a dedicated ALS outpatient clinic. This study compared 242 people treated before and after that change.
The two groups looked similar at the start. Median survival was 27 months in the general neurology group and 40 months in the specialised clinic group. The difference came from people whose symptoms began in the limbs; no survival difference was seen for people whose symptoms began in speech or swallowing muscles.
The authors think the gain reflects coordinated multidisciplinary care as a whole, not any single treatment. This fits European guideline advice that people with ALS be followed in specialised multidisciplinary clinics.
What this does not show
This was a before-and-after comparison at one hospital, not a randomised trial, so other changes over the same years may explain part of the difference.
Source
Implementation of specialised care improves survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
This summary explains a single study. It is not medical advice and does not say what applies to any one person. Talk to your ALS care team before making decisions about treatment or trials.