Herbal Nutritional Intervention in a Critically ALS Patient with Multidrug-Resistant Infection

Abstract

We report a case of a female patient with a 9-year history of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who presented with respiratory failure due to a multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infection, predominantly Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP). The objective was to assess the clinical impact of a nutritional intervention with two herbal beverages. The patient was admitted in a critical state and treated in three phases: initial antibiotics with occasional herbal drinks, daily herbal drinks, and a combination of herbal drinks with intermittent antibiotics. Retrospective analysis of clinical data revealed significant improvements post-intervention. Body weight increased from 26 kg to 35.5 kg at discharge and 39 kg at the 6w follow-up. Vital signs normalized, and MDRO sensitivity to antibiotics improved, with no detectable KP in the final hospital phase. Inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein, and white blood cell count decreased markedly. Neurological status, as indicated by neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels, improved, and the patient showed respiratory autonomy and positional changes. Nutritional markers, total protein, and creatinine, also improved. This case illustrates a successful herbal nutritional intervention in reversing respiratory failure in an ALS patient with MDRO infection, suggesting potential benefits in managing MDRO infections and ALS symptoms. It paves the way for further research into herbal-based treatments for these conditions.

Keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Herbal nutritional intervention, Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP), Multi-drug resistant organism (MDRO), Respiratory Failure