http://hsrd.durham.med.va.gov/ERIC/ALS/ALSregistry.htmSkater,
this is the webpage for the N.C. Va Hospital. They are deeply involved in the ALS research associated with PGW I illness. I checked the VA Center in Nashville's webpage and they have nothing there regarding research on this condition. At first blush, I'd head to N.C. but it may be beneficial to actually call the VA center in each place, talk to their research department. Also - you can just flat out ask - "IS it better for me, with this diagnosis, to go to Nashville or to N.C.
Godspeed.
Be well,
lilamy
For Skater - N.C vs Nashville VA
Re: For Skater - N.C vs Nashville VA -- lilamy
| Posted by Skater ® , Sep 24,2003,07:53 |
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MetroBlab
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Thanks for the site. What are mycoplasmas? Can they mimic ALS?
For Skater - N.C vs Nashville VA
Re: For Skater - N.C vs Nashville VA -- Skater
| Posted by lilamy ® , Sep 24,2003,08:53 |
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MetroBlab
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Mycoplasma is a type of bacteria/virus (it is really kind of a hybrid of both - not really a bacteria, not really a virus) that causes different types of diseases in people. The most common one is Mycoplasma, or atypical, pneumonia.
It has been studied pretty closely in the last few years and there is speculation that it MAY be implicated in many conditions including heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and other assorted conditions. I emphasize *may* because we have no proof.
So many, many people have had mycoplasma infections that most of us carry antibodies to it. It's rather like saying "The cold virus causes cancer" because everyone who has cancer has had a cold. Part of that statement is true (or close enough to it) - everybody HAS had a cold at one time or another. There is a correlation, but not necessarily a cause/effect relationship.
Mycoplasma is one of the many things being investigated but there is no hard data and no good studies to seriously implicate the organism in ALS as far as I can find.
Be well,
lilamy
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