title: [5-year experience with a clinic for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].
abstract: An out-patient service for patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the ALS-clinic, was established at the Department of Neurology, Haukeland Hospital, in 1990. The number of ALS patients who were hospitalised during the period 1990-1995 was 59, with a mean stay in hospital of 14.8 days. Eleven of the patients died in hospital. The ALS-clinic had 127 consultations during the same period, with a mean of 2.2 consultations per patient. Speech difficulties were the dominating problem at 26 of the consultations. 32 patients experienced feeding difficulties, and a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was performed in nine cases. Respiratory problems dominated in ten patients, but only two of these patients wanted a home ventilator. Various assistive devices were adapted for 16 patients.
authors.affiliation: Nevrologisk avdeling, Haukeland Sykehus, Bergen.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Aarli
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Tysnes
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010353:Patient Education as Topic