Factors predicting survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients on non-invasive ventilation.

Objective: Non invasive ventilation (NIV) improves quality of life and extends survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. However, few data exist about the factors related to survival. We intended to assess the predictive factors that influence survival in patients after NIV initiation.

Sleep in hypercapnic critical care patients under noninvasive ventilation: conventional versus dedicated ventilators.

Objective: To compare sleep quality between two types of ventilators commonly used for noninvasive ventilation: conventional ICU ventilators and dedicated noninvasive ventilators; and to evaluate sleep during and between noninvasive ventilation sessions in critically ill patients.

Design: Physiological sleep study with a randomized assessment of the ventilator type.

Setting: Medical ICU in a university hospital.