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GlenBrittle

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Joined
Oct 9, 2008
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1,540
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
10/2008
Country
CA
State
Ontario
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Alexandria
She was over yesterday and we were discussing the vitamins and supplements I was taking.

here is an interesting paper she has received.

Qureshi M, Shui A, Dibernardo AB, Brown RH Jr, Schoenfeld DA, Cudkowicz ME.
Amyotroph Lateral Scler. 2008 Dec;9(6):369-74.
Medications and laboratory parameters as prognostic factors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Neurology Clinical Trials Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. [email protected]
We sought to examine the influence of medication usage and laboratory measurements on disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A database of 596 volunteers with ALS was generated from three clinical trials and one observational study. Disease course was measured by survival and three functional measures: the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS), Vital Capacity (VC) and Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC). Survival modeling was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression. The association of medication or laboratory measurements with disease progression was determined using a random effects model. In the multivariate analysis, survival was shorter in participants who took aspirin (HR =1.93, p =0.046); NSAIDs (HR =1.51, p =0.054); had low blood chloride (HR =0.76, p =0.020) or high bicarbonate levels (HR =1.37, p =0.006). Individuals who took calcium had better survival (HR =0.37, p =0.008) and a slower rate of decline of MVIC arm megascore (p =0.033). Vital capacity declined faster in individuals with lower serum chloride (p<0.0001), or higher bicarbonate (p =0.002) levels and those taking paracetamol (acetaminophen) (p =0.035). We conclude that aspirin or NSAID use may shorten survival in ALS, while calcium use may prolong survival. Our results support a need to further explore the role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of ALS.
- survival was shorter in ALS patients who took ASA/NSAIDs/acetaminophen and in those with low chloride/bicarbinate, whereas survival improved with taking calcium (Qureshi 2008)
PMID: 18608098 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Thought I would share.
Glen
 
Thanks, Glen! I am definitely going to print that one up & take to next clinic visit. Now, what are you supposed to take for a simple headache, or mild aches & pains?

But, I am amazed she makes house calls! Is this your GP? A regular "Marcus Welby"!
 
She is my GP. She has some ways that make the other docs see red , but in the end she proves her point. Ya , she is special ;)
 
I had heard that an influx of too much calcium into the neurons due to a faulty protein was a bad thing for als. I take a lot of vitamin d and magnesium to help absorb the calcium and prevent too much of it from settling into the nerve endings. I also take zinc everyday. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the calcium angle. Here's a medical abstract to which I am referring:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11465925
 
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Thanks Mike . I will pass that article along.
How much zinc and magnesium are you taking ?

Glen
 
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