Impact of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) on the Evolution of Disease in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Dysphagia is a highly prevalent symptom in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and the implantation of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a very frequent event. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of PEG implantation on survival and complications in ALS. An interhospital registry of patients with ALS of six hospitals in the Castilla-León region (Spain) was created between January 2015 and December 2017. The data were compared for those in whom a PEG was implanted and those who it was not. A total of 93 patients were analyzed. The mean age of the patients was 64.63 (17.67) years. A total of 38 patients (38.8%) had a PEG implantation. An improvement in the anthropometric parameters was observed among patients who had a PEG from the beginning of nutritional follow-up compared to those who did not, both in BMI (kg/m(2)) (PEG: 0 months, 22.06; 6 months, 23.04; p < 0.01; NoPEG: 0 months, 24.59–23.87; p > 0.05). Among the deceased patients, 38 (40.4%) those who had an implanted PEG (20 patients (52.6%) had a longer survival time (PEG: 23 (15–35.5) months; NoPEG 11 (4.75–18.5) months; p = 0.01). A PEG showed a survival benefit among ALS patients. Early implantation of a PEG produced a reduction in admissions associated with complications derived from it.