Unit for Intractable Disease Nursing Care

Research Summary

Since the establishment of our laboratory, we have pursued methods for alleviating sufferings related to human dignity such as difficulty in breathing, inability to swallow food, and inability to communicate, as well as support systems for living a safe and secure life for recuperation in familiar areas, targeting ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) patients who are said to have the most severe medical and disability needs. This unit aims to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of people living with incurable diseases by presenting a home care support model in Japan, which is facing a super-aging society, while inheriting this tradition.

Our Research Objectives are,

• To promote the practical application of new communications support technologies and create a support system that can be used when needed
• To improve nursing care that will lead to the dignity and life maintenance of patients with ALS and other severe disabilities
• To promote the enhancement of a safe care environment and support system through the promotion of home care safety and health activities for patients with intractable diseases

Selected Publications

• Nakayama Y, Shimizu T*, Matsuda C ,Haraguch M et al. (2022) “Body Weight Gain is Associated with the Disease Stage in Advanced Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with Tracheostomy and Invasive Ventilation, Metabolites.” Metabolites 2022, Volume 12, Issue 2, 191
• CazzolliPA, BrooksRB, Nakayama Y et al.(2020)The Oral Secretion Scale and Prognostic Factors for Survival in Subjects. With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Respiratory Care. 65(8)1063-107
• NNakayama Y, Shimizu T, Matsuda C, Haraguchi M, et al. (2019) “Body weight variation predicts disease progression after invasive ventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.” Scientific Reports volume 9, s41598-019-48831-9
• Shimizu T, Nakayama Y, Matsuda C, Haraguchi M, Bokuda K, Ishikawa-Takata K, Kawata A, Isozaki E. 2019 “Prognostic significance of body weight variation after diagnosis in ALS: a single-centre prospective cohort study.” Journal of Neurology .266(6), 1412–1420
• Matsuda C, Shimizu T, Nakayama Y, Haraguchi M. (2019) “Cough peak flow decline rate predicts survival in patients with amyotorophic lateral sclerosis” Muscle & Nerve. 59(2) 168-173.
• Shimizu T, Bokuda K, Kimura H, Kamiyama T, Nakayama Y, Kawata A, Isozaki E, and Ugawa Y. (2018) “Sensory cortex hyperexcitability predicts short survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.” Neurology 1 ;90(18): e1578-e1587.
• Nakayama Y, Shimizu T,Matsuda C, Mochizuki Y, Hayashi K,Nagao M, Kawata A, Isozaki E. (2018) “Non-Motor Manifestations in ALS Patients with Tracheostomy and invasive ventilation.” Muscle and Nerve. 57(5):735-741.
• Nakayama Y, Shimizu T, Mochizuki Y, Hayashi K, Matsuda C, Nagao M, Watabe K, Kawata A, Oyanagi K, Isozaki E, Nakano I. (2016) “Predictors of impaired communication in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with tracheostomy invasive ventilation.” Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 17(1-2):38-46