A current study published in the Archives of Neurology* suggests the effects of smoking contribute to a faster progression of multiple sclerosis – or MS. Past studies have shown cigarette smokers have an increased chance of developing the disease.

Researchers from the Harvard schools of medicine and public health and the Massachusetts General Hospital evaluated 1,465 MS patients with an average age of 42. The study broke the patients down into 3 groups – 785 never smoked, 428 were ex-smokers and 257 were current smokers.

In the beginning of the study, the disease in current smokers was much worse…they were most likely to have the progressive form where symptoms steadily got worse rather than the relapsing-remitting form where symptoms were intermittent.

Dr. Alberto Ascherio of the Harvard School of Public Health comments “Most adverse effects were seen for current smokers, which is good news in some way because it suggests that quitting smoking can help.”

A group of 891 patients were monitored for three years to see how many of them changed from relapsing-remitting to secondary progressive MS. At the conclusion, 20 of 154 smokers, 20 of 237 ex-smokers and 32 of 500 non-smokers saw their disease progress to the worse form.

Therefore, the progression of the disease was about the same for ex-smokers and non-smokers but much higher and faster for smokers.

Multiple sclerosis is a disorder where the eyes, brain and spinal cord lose myelin, which is a protective coating that facilitates transmission of electrical impulses.

Approximately 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.5 million around the world suffer from MS.

*Courtesy of Chrissie Cole of Injury Board Magazine

We’ve all been hearing for months now the ongoing, and controversial, debate going on in Washington regarding health care reform. At times, the debate has been raucous, especially at many town hall meetings across the country this past August.

The Republican minority though will release their proposal sometime this week.

Basically, the purpose of the GOP alternative seeks to lower health care costs and increase access to health insurance coverage without:

• Raising taxes
• Cutting Medicare benefits for senior citizens
• Adding to the budget deficit
• Intervening in the doctor/patient relationship
• Instituting a government takeover of health care

The GOP asserts the 250-page bill will lower health care premiums for families and small businesses while being far less costly and intrusive than proposals from the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.

Basically, their approach will expand state-based high-risk insurance pools for those with pre-existing conditions, allow trade associations to organize and purchase group health insurance, cap medical liability lawsuits and allow insurance companies to sell policies across state lines. Other provisions in the bill include:

• Allowing dependants to stay on their parents policies until age 25
• Expand Health Savings Accounts
• Give employers more flexibility to incentivize healthy living
• Encourage programs at the state level to reduce costs and numbers of uninsured

House Minority Leader John Boehner dubbed the Democratic proposals as “unaffordable”, saying his caucus’ plan will not raise taxes or impose cumbersome mandates during a recession.