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QUICK STUDY : A Weekly Digest Of New Research On Major Health Topics The Washington Post, DC Tuesday, May 4, 2004; Page HE06 RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME A drug may help reduce limb movements and improve sleep. • THE QUESTION People with so-called restless legs are plagued by overwhelming urges to move their legs, brought on by pulling, tingling, prickly, sometimes painful and always uncomfortable sensations. The feeling occurs mostly at night, seriously disrupting sleep. Might pergolide (Permax), a drug commonly prescribed for Parkinson's disease, offer relief? THIS STUDY randomly assigned 100 people with restless legs syndrome to take an evening dose of pergolide or a placebo for six weeks. Awakenings caused by leg movements in the people who took pergolide dropped from an average of 15 a night to three, compared with a decline from 18 to 15 for those taking a placebo. Time asleep improved by 12 percent for the pergolide group and 6 percent for those on placebo. Similar results were reported after one year. Nausea and headaches were more frequent in those who took pergolide. • WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? The syndrome occurs in people of all ages, although severe cases generally affect those who are middle-aged or older. • CAVEATS The study was funded by Eli Lilly, the maker of Permax. The study did not assess participants' heart conditions, although earlier studies have found increased heart valve problems in people taking pergolide. • BOTTOM LINE People bothered by restless legs may want to ask their doctor about pergolide. • FIND THIS STUDY April 27 issue of Neurology; abstract available online at http://www.neurology.org • LEARN MORE ABOUT restless legs syndrome at http://www.rls.org and http://www.ninds.nih.gov - - - PREGNANCY - Dental X-rays may be risky for expectant mothers. • THE QUESTION Because studies have linked medical X-rays in pregnant women with low-birth-weight babies, most women know to avoid such radiation during pregnancy. Do dental X-rays, which focus very low-dose radiation on the head and neck area, also pose a risk? THIS STUDY examined the dental insurance records of women who gave birth to children weighing less than 5.5 pounds, comparing them with the dental records of women who gave birth to normal-weight babies. Two percent of the women with low-birth-weight children had had dental X-rays while pregnant, compared with 1 percent of the mothers of normal-weight children. • WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Pregnant women. • CAVEATS Although the study suggests that low birth weight may be attributable to radiation's effect on the thyroid, this has not been proven. The study did not consider whether the participants were exposed to other types of radiation. • BOTTOM LINE Pregnant women may want to talk with their obstetrician before consenting to dental X-rays. • FIND THIS STUDY April 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association; abstract available online at http://www.jama.ama-assn.org • LEARN MORE ABOUT X-rays and pregnancy at familydoctor.org and X-rays generally at http://www.mayoclinic.com - - - HEART DISEASE - Choice of surgical procedures may affect life expectancy. • THE QUESTION When clogged arteries restrict blood flow to the heart, surgeons can improve the situation through bypass surgery or through less invasive treatments such as angioplasty and stenting -- in which the narrowed artery is widened. Are the less invasive approaches as effective as bypass surgery, especially in severe cases? • THIS STUDY examined medical records of 5,161 people who had bypass surgery and 872 who had angioplasty or stenting at one medical clinic during a five-year period. Fourteen percent of the bypass patients died within five years of their artery procedure, compared with 16 percent of the others. Among people at higher risk, non-insulin-treated diabetics faced a higher mortality risk with the alternative treatments (21 percent) than bypass (17 percent), as did insulin- treated diabetics (31 percent vs. 23 percent ). • WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Anyone with coronary artery disease. • CAVEATS Procedures performed at other clinics may not yield the same results. Also, the study was conducted before the introduction last year of techniques that have been shown to improve angiography and stenting results. • BOTTOM LINE People facing heart surgery should discuss all options with their doctors. • FIND THIS STUDY April 26 rapid access issue of Circulation; abstract available online at http://circ.ahajournals.org (click on "Rapid Access Publications"). • LEARN MORE ABOUT surgery for heart disease at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov and http://www.americanheart.org -- Linda Searing SOURCE: The Washington Post, DC Tuesday, May 4, 2004; Page HE06 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64379-2004May3_2.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn