SCI Publications

Study design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of higher tidal volumes (HVt) compared to moderate Vt (MVt) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation (AIR) facility on mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy. Setting: AIR facility in the ...

Study design: Cross-sectional survey. Objectives: The objective of the study was to identify the treatments that people with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) used for their non-neuropathic pains (nonNeuPs) and how they subjectively rated the helpfulness of those treatments. Setting: Six centers from the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems. Methods: Three hundred ninety ...

Objective: To examine associations of patient characteristics and treatment quantity delivered during inpatient spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation with outcomes at 5 years post-injury and compare them to the associations found at 1 year post-injury. Design: Observational study using Practice-Based Evidence research methodology in which clinicians documented treatment details. ...

The International Standards for Neurologic Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) are the most widely used classification system in spinal cord injury medicine. The purpose of the ISNCSCI is to ensure accurate and consistent communication among patients, clinicians, and researchers. Since its first publication in 1982, the ISNCSCI has continued ...

Study examined the rate of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) grade conversion over time after complete spinal cord injury (SCI), accounting for demographic and injury characteristics. Data obtained from the SCI Model Systems database were grouped into 3-year intervals, and trends in AIS grade conversion over time ...

Study examined the relationship between lesion level and cognitive performance in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Fifty-nine individuals with SCI (30 with tetraplegia and 29 with paraplegia) and 30 age-matched healthy controls (HC) completed neuropsychological tests in the domains of attention, working memory, processing speed, executive control, and learning ...

Study examined the effect of early intravenous zoledronic acid (ZA) on bone markers and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in people with acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). ZA is the most potent of the bisphosphonates, a class of medication that affects the ability of the osteoclast to further resorb ...

Study evaluated the effects of task-specific versus impairment-based interventions on walking outcomes in individuals with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Using a crossover design, 16 ambulatory participants with incomplete SCI for more than 1 year were randomized to perform either task-specific (upright stepping) or impairment-based training for up to ...

The sacral examination components of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI), namely deep anal pressure (DAP) and voluntary anal sphincter contraction (VAC), are often difficult to perform. This study evaluated the reliability of voluntary hip adductor and toe flexor muscle contraction (VHTC) as an alternative ...

Study identified T-score values at the total hip (TH) and femoral neck (FN) that correspond to the cutoff value of <0.60 g/cm2 for heightened risk of fracture at the distal femur (DF) and proximal tibia (PT) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). DXA derived areal BMD (aBMD) and T-score ...

Article discuss the heightened vulnerabilities and unique preparedness needs of individuals with spinal cord injury in the context of climate-driven hurricanes. It outlines a set of physician roles aimed at preparing patients, caregivers, and providers to proactively mitigate these risks.

Study compared Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression prevalence (scores ≥10) to Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID) major depression prevalence and assessed whether an alternative PHQ-9 cutoff could more accurately estimate prevalence. A total of 9,242 participants (1,389 SCID major depression cases) from 44 ...

Article highlights the hardships faced by individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) when disasters strike. The authors suggest that now is the time for individuals living with SCI who reside in areas prone to tropical cyclone activity to educate themselves about their risks and preemptively take protective actions. Discussion ...

Study explored the effects of incorporating exoskeletal-assisted walking (EAW) into spinal cord injury (SCI) acute inpatient rehabilitation (AIR) on facilitating functional and motor recovery when compared with standard of care AIR. Ten acute inpatient participants with SCI who were eligible for locomotor training were enrolled in the intervention group (AIR ...

Study explored differences between veterans and nonveterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) treated within the SCI Model System program in terms of employment, health, and satisfaction with life outcomes after controlling for demographic and injury characteristics. A total of 9,754 adults (85 percent were nonveterans) with traumatic SCI who were ...

Study investigated the effect of local hypothermia and rewarming on injury site physiology, metabolism, and inflammation in patients with thoracic traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). In five patients with acute severe TSCI, American spinal injuries association Impairment Scale grades A to C, cord hypothermia (33 degrees centigrade) was induced, then ...

Study determined the prevalence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) detected through routine duplex screening and factors associated with DVT in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) on admission to rehabilitation. A retrospective review was conducted of medical records for 189 individuals admitted to rehabilitation within 2 weeks of initial traumatic ...

Study explored feasibility of smartphone-based digital phenotyping methods to examine depression and its relationship to psychosocial well-being indicators after spinal cord injury (SCI). A smartphone research platform obtained smartphone sensor and survey data among 43 community-living adult wheelchair users with SCI. Weekly measurements for 4 months included the Patient Health ...

Study identified the characteristics of participants who were responders and non-responders in a wellness intervention developed specifically for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Participants who received a wellness intervention engaged in six in-person workshops over a 3-month period, led by wellness experts with peer mentors available. Individual intervention participant ...

Study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Transfer Assessment Instrument Questionnaire (TAI-Q), a self-assessment measure to evaluate wheelchair transfer quality, compared with clinician-reported measures. Forty-four full-time wheelchair users self-assessed transfers from their wheelchair to a mat table using the TAI-Q. For session 1, participants self-assessed their transfer both before and ...