Non-invasive Ventilation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Using the iVAPS Mode

Home non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is the standard-of-care as initial therapy for patients with ALS with worsening symptoms or deteriorating respiratory function, and has been recommended by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) practice parameter for ALS. This study will compare the current standard BiST mode of ventilation with the new iVAPS mode. The main study hypothesis is that the iVAPS mode, initiated in a single daytime trial, will result in a reduction of the number of respiratory therapist interventions and changes in ventilator settings as compared with the standard BiST mode. This will be assessed over a period of one year. In addition this study will test whether the iVAPS mode is superior to BiST mode with respect to: comfort and ease of use; improvement in nighttime and daytime symptoms of hypoventilation; compliance (hours used per day); physiologic parameters (daytime and overnight oxygen saturation and transcutaneous CO2 level).