risk

We often feel isolated now that my husband, Todd, is homebound because of ALS. He’s paralyzed with weak lung function, and it’s just too difficult for him to get out. So we were delighted when some friends planned a game night with us at our home last weekend. We…

Last week, I was in a grocery store and noticed another shopper had an occasional cough and wasn’t covering his mouth. I gave him wide berth as I gathered the items I needed. When I had found everything on my list, I made a beeline for the checkout line, and…

A mutation in the STMN2 gene that consists of an excessive repeat of two nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA, is not associated with the greater risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study reported. Its findings contradict previous research suggesting a link between this particular mutation and ALS. “Although the…

Total job- and leisure-related physical activity over a lifetime is not a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but heavy physical activity on the job is associated with a nearly two-times greater risk of ALS, a study in Germany shows. Also, ALS patients reporting pre-diagnosis and current moderate…

Use of statins, the blood cholesterol-lowering medications, for more than a year was linked to a lower risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among older adults, a large Medicare beneficiaries-based study suggests. The study “Relationship of statins and other cholesterol- lowering medications and risk of amyotrophic lateral…

Scientists created a new prognosis model to predict the risk of respiratory insufficiency or death within six months of follow-up in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “Development of a prognostic model of respiratory insufficiency or death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” was published in the…

Occupational exposure to silica is linked to a significantly increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a population-based study suggests. The study “Multicentre, population-based, case-control study of particulates, combustion products and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk” was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. The cause of…

People affected by depression before being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairments at later stages of the disease, a study says. The findings of the study, “Depression and risk of cognitive dysfunctions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” were…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be linked to genetic factors that promote cardiovascular fitness, according to a study indicating that ALS patients’ parents died of cardiovascular disease less often. But researchers underscored that it is not physical activity that increases the risk of ALS. The study, “Exploring…

A cardiovascular medication called Zontivity (vorapaxar) may be linked to a slight, but still increased, risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a review of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documents on data from the drug’s clinical studies. While researchers noted that the risk of developing ALS is very…