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Occupational exposure to anaesthetic gases associated with tripling of risk of multiple sclerosis
December 17, 2002Occupational exposure to anaesthetic gases may triple the risk of multiple sclerosis, finds a study of nurses in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Anaesthetic gases are chemically related to organic solvents, which may double the risk of multiple sclerosis, previous research suggests.
Researchers surveyed 83 nurses with MS, who responded to appeals made in the monthly magazine of the Swedish Nurse Union and the Neurological Patients’ Association in Sweden.
Thirteen of the survey respondents were nurse anaesthetists, a role that is actively being considered in the UK. The survey requested information about work tasks, length and type of exposure to anaesthetic gases, and the timing of symptoms and diagnosis of MS.
The findings were plotted against figures on the number of nurse anaesthetists employed in Sweden and the expected population risk of developing MS, using Swedish and Danish data.
Eleven of the 13 nurses had been exposed to anaesthetic gases before MS was diagnosed, for an average of 14 years. Ten of the nurses were diagnosed between 1980 and 1999, and when compared with the expected population risk, they were three times as likely to develop MS.
The authors admit that their analysis is somewhat crude and approximate, but, nevertheless, they say that these preliminary findings suggest that nurse anaesthetists are at increased risk of MS.
They call for tighter controls on the levels of circulating anaesthetic gases in operating theatres and better ventilation to minimise the risks.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Thirteen of the survey respondents were nurse anaesthetists, a role that is actively being considered in the UK. The survey requested information about work tasks, length and type of exposure to anaesthetic gases, and the timing of symptoms and diagnosis of MS.
The findings were plotted against figures on the number of nurse anaesthetists employed in Sweden and the expected population risk of developing MS, using Swedish and Danish data.
Eleven of the 13 nurses had been exposed to anaesthetic gases before MS was diagnosed, for an average of 14 years. Ten of the nurses were diagnosed between 1980 and 1999, and when compared with the expected population risk, they were three times as likely to develop MS.
The authors admit that their analysis is somewhat crude and approximate, but, nevertheless, they say that these preliminary findings suggest that nurse anaesthetists are at increased risk of MS.
They call for tighter controls on the levels of circulating anaesthetic gases in operating theatres and better ventilation to minimise the risks.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Multiple Sclerosis Current Events and Multiple Sclerosis News RSSMultiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive
A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic."
Factors from common human bacteria may trigger multiple sclerosis
Current research suggests that a common oral bacterium may exacerbate autoimmune disease. The related report by Nichols et al, "Unique Lipids from a Common Human Bacterium Represent a New Class of TLR2 Ligands Capable of Enhancing Autoimmunity," appears in the December 2009 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.
Drug studied as possible treatment for spinal injuries
Researchers have shown how an experimental drug might restore the function of nerves damaged in spinal cord injuries by preventing short circuits caused when tiny "potassium channels" in the fibers are exposed.
CSHL team solves structure of NMDA receptor unit that could be drug target for neurological diseases
A team of scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) reports on Thursday their success in solving the molecular structure of a key portion of a cellular receptor implicated in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other serious illnesses.
Men leave: Separation and divorce far more common when the wife is the patient
A woman is six times more likely to be separated or divorced soon after a diagnosis of cancer or multiple sclerosis than if a man in the relationship is the patient, according to a study that examined the role gender played in so-called "partner abandonment." The study also found that the longer the marriage the more likely it would remain intact.
Neurologists Investigate Possible New Underlying Cause of MS
Neurologists at the University at Buffalo are beginning a research study that could overturn the prevailing wisdom on the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Scientists demonstrate link between genetic defect and brain changes in schizophrenia
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have found that the 22q11 gene deletion - a mutation that confers the highest known genetic risk for schizophrenia - is associated with changes in the development of the brain that ultimately affect how its circuit elements are assembled.
Gentle touch may aid multiple sclerosis patients
While gripping, lifting or manipulating an object such as drinking from a cup or placing a book on a shelf is usually easy for most, it can be challenging for those with neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's, or for people who had a stroke. For them, the tight gripping can cause fatigue, making everyday tasks difficult.
Urate in blood and spinal fluid may predict slower decline in patients with Parkinson's disease
Higher concentration of urate (an antioxidant) in the blood and spinal fluid of patients with early Parkinson's disease is associated with slower rates of clinical decline.
Oxidized form of a common vitamin may bring relief for ulcerative colitis
New research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology finds retinoic acid may alleviate ulcerative colitis and similar irritable bowel diseases.
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