BY PHIL HARTMAN
SVN NEWS REPORTER
Published: Saturday, April 10, 2004
© Copyright 2004 Sauk Valley Newspapers. All rights reserved.

A federal agency is launching a study into the incidence rates and other aspects of two nervous-system illnesses in northwestern Illinois.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry will be conducting a study into cases of multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease) in five Illinois communities, including Morrison and Paw Paw.

"Health Systems Research at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford also will investigate the prevalence of these diseases in DePue, Savanna and Lewistown. Data from five states will be compiled to analyze possible links between MS or ALS and environmental or other local conditions," according to an ATSDR statement.

Study participants must:

--Be 18 or older.

--Have lived in the area anytime between 1998-2002 even if they have moved out of the area.

--Have a diagnosis of MS or ALS in any year.

--Have had a doctor's visit for MS or ALS during that time.

--The first meeting about the study will take place at 9:30 a.m. April 17 at the Paw Paw Community Building. A second meeting will take place at a MS Support Group meeting at 7 p.m. on April 19, at KSB Hospital in Dixon.

--Barbara Sjostrom of Health Systems Research said that Morrison and Paw Paw were selected because concerned citizens thought these towns had a high level of MS.

"(Our) office did a study about four years ago in Morrison. At that time, we did not do a medical record verification. The study did find a higher than expected incidence, compared to national statistics. I know people in Morrison have been concerned for quite a long time," Sjostrom said.

Part of the data sought from the study are how many cases of each disease are present in the communities involved.

"That's exactly what we're trying to find out," Sjostrom said.

Other sites are areas of concern in addition to Morrison and Paw Paw.

"Savanna and DePue are Superfund sites. (The Savanna) Army Depot has tons of unexploded ordinance and pesticide. DePue has a zinc smelter site. Lee, Whiteside, Carroll and Bureau residents can participate, if they meet the other criteria," Sjostrom said.

Individuals can participate confidentially in the ATSDR study without attending the meeting. They will be asked to complete a questionnaire about their health, family history and occupation, and also will be asked to give permission for their medical records to be reviewed for verification of the MS diagnosis.

Judy Stern, one of the contact individuals for the study, spoke about why she is involved.

"I have a friend with MS. I wanted to be able to understand about it and learn what's knowing on. It's my understanding that there are five counties where MS is epidemic," Stern said about the study.

Martha Pumphrey, an Ashton resident who also is a contact person with the study, said that her sister has had MS for 20 years.

"She lives south of Dixon, in Harmon. They say Paw Paw's really heavy on it. We've got 18, 20 coming (to a support group) who have it. It's pretty much Dixon. There are a couple from Ashton. Lee County is very high. That's why they're doing this study," Pumphrey said.

For further information, contact Judy Stern at (815) 625-4186 or Martha Pumphrey at (815) 453-2582.