Exploratory Study on the Effects of Lung Insufflation Capacity Training Using the LIC Trainer in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Single-Center Prospective Interventional Study
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether lung insufflation capacity (LIC) training can help maintain respiratory function and prolong tracheostomy-free survival in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The main questions are: Does early and continuous LIC training slow the decline in forced vital capacity (FVC)? Does LIC training prolong the time to tracheostomy or death? This single-center study at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP) in Japan will enroll 25 adults with ALS diagnosed according to the El Escorial or Awaji criteria. This is a single-arm study with no concurrently enrolled control group. Comparative analyses will use matched external controls. PRO-ACT will be used primarily to evaluate short-term respiratory-function trajectories, while JACALS, if data access is approved, will be used primarily to evaluate long-term time-to-event outcomes. Participants will: * Use the LIC Trainer device to perform lung insufflation training twice daily at home * Visit the clinic every 3 months for respiratory and functional assessments * Undergo respiratory tests, including FVC, LIC, maximum insufflation capacity (MIC), and cough peak flow (CPF) * Complete the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R)
• Age 20 years or older
• Diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) according to the El Escorial or Awaji criteria
• Not using noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and without tracheostomy at the start of LIC training
• Able to perform study assessments and provide written informed consent (or assisted signature with communication aid)