Chest
-
To determine under what circumstances the use of mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) can generate clinically effective expiratory flows for airway clearance (> 2.7 L/s) for clinically stable patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ⋯ MI-E is able to generate clinically effective PCFMI-E (> 2.7 L/s) for stable patients with ALS, except for those with bulbar dysfunction who also have a MIC > 1 L and PCFMIC <2.7 L/s who probably have severe dynamic collapse of the upper airways during the exsufflation cycle. Clinically stable patients with mild respiratory dysfunction and PCFMIC > 4 L/s might not benefit from MI-E except during an acute respiratory illness.