NCT06021938
Alleviating Persistent Dyspnea in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients Treated With Non-Invasive Ventilation Through Immersive Virtual Reality
Recruiting · Not Applicable · Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris · registry updated 2026-02-25
Inclusion and exclusion lines below are quoted from ClinicalTrials.gov. No match score is shown, because a score needs a person's age, biomarkers, and treatment dates. Confirm the record with the study team.
The evolution of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is marked by dyspnea, anxiety and pain, major determinants of suffering induced by this disease. The only palliative treatment for respiratory failure is non-invasive ventilation (NIV), which compensates failing respiratory muscles and relieves dyspnea, improves quality of life and increases life expectancy. In ALS patients, the persistence of dyspnea outside of NIV sessions has highlighted the need for therapeutic alternatives in the treatment of persistent dyspnea, including immersive virtual reality (IVR) and auditory distraction through music (music therapy). This study evaluates the effect of IVR on respiratory discomfort in ALS patients with persistent dyspnea treated with NIV.
Inclusion
- ≥ 18 years old
- Diagnosis of ALS confirmed according to the revised criteria of El Escorial
- Respiratory failure due to diaphragmatic dysfunction treated by non-invasive ventilation for more than a month
- Care provided in an ambulatory setting (day care hospital)
- Persistent dyspnea at rest ≥ 3 across a numerical scale (0 to 10) in a semi-sitting position
- Stable clinical condition, i.e., no episode of acute cardiac, respiratory and/or neurological failure leading to hospitalization in the previous 4 weeks
Exclusion
- Neurological disorders according to a neurological evaluation dating from less than one year, in particular diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.)
- Diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, psychosis) or receiving antipsychotic treatment
- Claustrophobia
- Hearing loss
- Visual impairment
- Subject under guardianship or curatorship