Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a serious disease that becomes worse with time and ultimately results in death. There is no cure for ALS and no treatments exist that prevent the disease from getting worse. Several symptoms associated with ALS can negatively impact patient happiness and make everyday life tasks challenging. Managing these symptoms can improve quality of life, support mental well-being, prevent further complications, and allow patients to maintain functional abilities and independence. Anticholinergics are one type of medication used to manage ALS symptoms; however, they may also have negative side effects, such as interfering with how well the brain thinks, remembers, and understands things (memory/cognition) and with how well the body performs various tasks and activities (physical functioning). When multiple medications are taken together these issues can increase. Even though these medications are often taken by patients with ALS, we do not know how they might influence the disease journey over time or even the length of time a person can survive with the disease. Understanding the impact of these medications on ALS can help to improve the care these patients receive and their health outcomes. In this study we will examine the effects of anticholinergic medications on disease progression and survival in patients diagnosed with ALS between 2010-2020 using Canadian clinical and administrative population health data. We will look at how often these medications are taken by patients with ALS, and how the medications (when used alone or together) impact the typical ALS disease journey. This research will provide critical information about the safety of anticholinergic drugs with respect to ALS disease progression and help improve the treatment and care approaches for patients with ALS. We will share the findings from this study with ALS researchers and the medical community so that new treatment approaches can be adopted as soon as possible.