People with higher levels of metals found in their blood and urine may be more likely to be diagnosed with -; and die from -; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a University of Michigan-led study suggests. Researchers have known that ALS, a rare but fatal neurodegenerative condition, is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, including exposure to pesticides and metals. This latest study examined the levels of metals in the blood and urine of people with and without ALS, finding that exposure to individual and mixtures of metals is associated with a greater risk for ALS and shorter survival.
The results are published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry . Strengthening our understanding of the importance of exposure to metals as a risk factor for ALS is essential for future targeted prevention of the disease and improved therapeutic strategies." Stephen Goutman, M.
D., M.S.
, senior author, director of the Pranger ALS Clinic and associate director of the ALS Center of Excellence at University of Michigan "Several epidemiologic studies have linked metal exposure to ALS risk. Nonetheless, it remains critical for us to understand how these metal mixtures associate with ALS risk and survival and to identify who is at greatest risk of exposure or who is most susceptible to the exposure." Goutman's team measured metal levels in plasma and urine samples from over 450 people with ALS and nearly 300 people without the condition.
They found that elevated.