Akershus Universitetssykehus HF

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2024 -- For men, high levels of physical activity and fitness are associated with reduced risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study published online June 27 in Neurology . Anders M. Vaage, M.D., from Akershus University Hospital in Lørenskog Norway, and colleagues examined the relationship between indicators of physical activity and fitness and long-term ALS risk using data from a large Norwegian cardiovascular health survey. The risk of ALS was assessed according to levels of self-reported physical activity in three categories: sedentary; minimum four hours/week of walking or cycling; and minimum four hours/week of recreational sports or hard training. The researchers found that 504 of the 373,696 study participants (mean age, 4.9 years) developed ALS during a mean follow-up of 27.2 years. The hazard ratio was 0.71 for the highest versus the lowest level of physical activity. In the total sample, there were no clear associations seen between resting heart rate and ALS. In men, the hazard ratios of ALS were 0.71 and 0.59 for those reporting moderate and high levels of physical activity, respectively, versus low levels. The risk of ALS was reduced for men with resting heart rate in the lowest quartile versus the second highest quartile (hazard ratio, 0.68). No association was seen for self-reported levels of physical activity or resting heart rate with ALS risk among women. "Moderate to high levels of physical activity and fitness in middle age do not increase ALS risk. Rather, it may be protective against the disease, but only in men," the authors write.

Moderate levels of physical activity and fitness may be linked to a reduced risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) later in life, according to a new study. The study only found an association between physical activity and risk of ALS in male participants, not female participants. Moderate levels of physical activity and fitness may be linked to a reduced risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) later in life, according to a new studypublished in the June 26, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study only found an association between physical activity and risk of ALS in male participants, not female participants. ALS is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. People with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death. The average life span after diagnosis is two to five years. "The diagnosis of prominent athletes with ALS at young ages has sparked the uncomfortable idea that higher physical activity could be tied to developing ALS," said studyauthor Anders Myhre Vaage, MD, of Akershus University Hospital in Norway. "There have been conflicting findings on levels of physical activity, fitness and ALS risk. Our study found that for men, living a more active lifestyle could be linked to a reduced risk of ALS more than 30 years later." For the study, researchers looked at 373,696 people in Norway with an average age of 41. They were followed for an average of 27 years. Of the total participants, 504 people developed ALS. Of those who developed ALS, 59% were male participants. Participants recorded their level of physical activity for the past year into one of four categories: sedentary; a minimum of four hours per week of walking or cycling; a minimum of four hours per week of recreational sports or heavy gardening; or participation in hard training or sports competitions regularly, several times a week. Due to few participants with the highest level of physical activity, researchers combined the third and fourth categories into one high activity group. Researchers found that of the 41,898 male participants that had the highest level of physical activity, 63 developed ALS; of the 76,769 male participants with the intermediate level of physical activity, 131 developed ALS; and of the 29,468 male participants with the lowest level of physical activity, 68 developed ALS. After adjusting for other factors that could affect the risk of ALS, such as smoking and body mass index, researchers found that for male participants, when compared to those with the lowest level of physical activity, those with moderate levels of physical activity had a 29% lower risk of ALS and those with high levels of physical activity had a 41% lower risk of ALS. Researchers also looked at resting heart rate. Men in the lowest of four categories of resting heart rate, which indicates good physical fitness, had a 32% reduced risk of ALS compared to those with higher resting heart rates. "Our findings show that, for men, not only do moderate to high levels of physical activity and fitness not increase the risk of ALS, but that it may be protective against the disease," Myhre Vaage said. "Future studies of the connection between ALS and exercise are needed to consider sex differences and higher or professional athlete physical activity levels." A limitation of the study was that the physical activity questionnaire was completed only at one specific time during the study, so it may not have captured the participants' exercise levels over the nearly 30-year span of the study.

VADUZ, Liechtenstein, May 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RefluxStop™ on path to become standard of care for acid reflux treatment Significant events in the first quarter of 2024 Submitted Premarket Approval (PMA) application for RefluxStop™ to U.S. FDA First of three modules submitted Next two modules to be submitted in estimated 2 three-month intervals One time costs of EUR 2.5 million attributed to the FDA process including the Usability study during Q1 Completed Human Factors Validation Study with 16 U.S. surgeons as part of the FDA PMA process 20 U.S. foregut surgeons trained on the RefluxStop procedure in preparation for the Usability Study, a very successful U.S. pre-launch activity First-ever public tender win for RefluxStop™ in Italy achieved by Ospedale di Moncalieri Turin 3-year public tender, funded to full list price by the public healthcare system Second public hospital purchase agreement win in Italy at IRCCS Saverio De Bellis in Bari, Italy to buy the RefluxStop™ devices to full price Norway opened as a new country performing RefluxStop™. First five surgeries successfully performed at Akershus University Hospital in Oslo Significant events after the end of the period First in the country public tender win in Spain for RefluxStop™ at Hospital Universitario de Getafe, a public hospital in Madrid Landmark, >25 hospitals in our target markets in Europe successfully operating with RefluxStop™ Six scientific presentations and abstracts presented at the 2024 SAGES annual scientific meeting in Cleveland, Ohio Two peer-reviewed scientific papers published on real-world RefluxStop™ results by Dr. Joerg Zehetner on large hiatal hernia patients and those with ineffective esophageal motility Financial summary first quarter 2024 Net sales increased 94% to TEUR 596 (307). Adjusted gross margin amounted to 92% (95%). Operating loss (EBIT) increased to TEUR 7,087 (4,870). Loss after tax amounted to TEUR 3,472 (4,758). Basic and diluted loss per Class A share amounted to EUR 0.05 (0.07). Cash as at the end of the period amounted to MEUR 80.1. Telephone conference Implantica will hold a teleconference on 15 May 2024 at 15:00 (CEST) with Peter Forsell (CEO), Andreas Öhrnberg (CFO), and Nicole Pehrsson (Chief Corporate Affairs Officer). Please see the dial-in details below to join the conference: Webcast Dial-in Dial-in numbers to the teleconference will be received by registering on the link below. After the registration, you will be provided phone numbers and a conference ID to access the conference For further information, please contact: Nicole Pehrsson, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Telephone (CH): +41 (0)79 335 09 49 [email protected] Implantica is listed on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market in Stockholm. The company's Certified Adviser is FNCA Sweden AB, [email protected] This information is information that Implantica AG is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 2024-05-15 08:00 CEST. About Implantica Implantica is a medtech group dedicated to bringing advanced technology into the body. Implantica's lead product, RefluxStop™, is a CE-marked implant for the prevention of gastroesophageal reflux that will potentially create a paradigm shift in anti-reflux treatment as supported by successful clinical trial results. Implantica also focuses on eHealth inside the body and has developed a broad, patent protected, product pipeline based partly on two platform technologies: an eHealth platform designed to monitor a broad range of health parameters, control treatment from inside the body and communicate to the caregiver on distance and a wireless energising platform designed to power remote controlled implants wirelessly through intact skin. Implantica is listed on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market (ticker: IMP A SDB). Visit for further information. This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: