A Predictive Model and Survival Analysis for Tube Feeding in ALS Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study in a Chinese ALS Clinic
Table 4
The clinical characteristics of ALS patients referred to tube feeding, stratified by survival.
Variables
Death
Total ()
Statistics
value
No ()
Yes ()
(%) or mean (SD) or median (IQR)
(%) or mean (SD) or median (IQR)
(%) or mean (SD) or median (IQR)
At baseline
Sex
0.06
Male
21 (46.7)
19 (73.1)
40 (56.3)
Female
24 (53.3)
7 (26.9)
31 (43.7)
Age of onset
54.36 (13.42)
57.69 (9.75)
55.58 (12.24)
-test
0.27
Site of disease onset
0.21
Bulbar
16 (35.6)
14 (53.8)
30 (42.3)
Spinal
29 (64.4)
12 (46.2)
41 (57.7)
BMI (kg/m2)
22.00 (19.00, 24.00)
20.00 (18.00, 23.00)
21.00 (19.00, 24.00)
Mann–Whitney test
0.08
Weight loss (%)
27 (60.0)
20 (76.9)
47 (66.2)
0.23
Weight loss (kg)
3.00 (0.00, 8.00)
5.50 (3.00, 12.25)
5.00 (0.00, 10.00)
Mann–Whitney test
0.04
Time to diagnose (months)
12.00 (8.00, 14.00)
9.00 (6.00, 14.75)
11.00 (8.00, 14.50)
Mann–Whitney test
0.24
Bulbar score
10.00 (5.00, 11.00)
6.00 (3.00, 9.00)
9.00 (5.00, 11.00)
Mann–Whitney test
0.01
Gross motor score
8.00 (4.00, 9.00)
7.00 (4.25, 10.75)
8.00 (4.00, 10.00)
Mann–Whitney test
0.93
Fine motor score
7.00 (2.00, 9.00)
7.00 (3.25, 10.00)
7.00 (3.00, 10.00)
Mann–Whitney test
0.61
Respiratory score
12.00 (11.00, 12.00)
11.50 (9.25, 12.00)
12.00 (10.00, 12.00)
Mann–Whitney test
0.54
NBRI
Fisher’s exact test
1
1
5 (11.1)
3 (11.5)
8 (11.3)
2
8 (17.8)
5 (19.2)
13 (18.3)
3
13 (28.9)
8 (30.8)
21 (29.6)
4
18 (40.0)
10 (38.5)
28 (39.4)
ALSFRS-R score
35.00 (29.00, 40.00)
34.00 (20.00, 39.00)
35.00 (27.50, 39.50)
Mann–Whitney test
0.33
ALSFRS-R slope
0.68 (0.38, 0.92)
0.98 (0.54, 1.72)
0.71 (0.45, 1.23)
Mann–Whitney test
0.01
History of ischemic stroke
0 (0.0)
3 (11.5)
3 (4.2)
Fisher’s exact test
0.04
At follow-up
NIV routine users
21 (46.7)
11 (42.3)
32 (45.1)
0.91
Dyspnea
30 (66.7)
17 (65.4)
47 (66.2)
1
At baseline, the mortality rate of ALS patients was higher in those with more weight loss (kg), lower bulbar score, higher ALSFRS-R slope, and history of ischemic stroke. Note: ALSFRS-R: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale revised; NBRI: body regions involved; BMI: body mass index; NIV: noninvasive ventilation; aHR: adjusted hazard ratio; cHR: crude hazard ratio; y: year; m: month; kg: kilogram; 95% CI: 95% confidence interval. In bold: value < 0.05.
