SCI Publications

Article describes the methodology for a two-phase, mixed-methods study to develop consensus around diagnostic and decision-making criteria for complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) among people with spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) and the clinicians who treat them. Phase 1 (qualitative) will engage Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) clinicians ...

Study examined the experiences of people with chronic motor incomplete tetraplegia using rehabilitation technology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants with chronic upper-extremity impairment due to spinal cord injury as they used five different rehabilitation technology devices for 30 to 45 minutes. The interviews were analyzed using a qualitative ...

Study compared the gut microbiome composition among 7 individuals with acute spinal cord injury (A-SCI) and 25 long-standing SCI (L-SCI) versus 25 able-bodied (AB) controls. Stool samples were collected after a median of 7 days and 18 years after injury in the A-SCI and L-SCI groups, respectively. Gut microbiome composition ...

Study assessed the accuracy of self-reported level of injury (LOI) and severity in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) as compared with clinical examination. Twenty-eight individuals with SCI completed a 20-item survey that evaluated demographics, physical abilities, and self-reported injury level and severity. A decision-tree algorithm used responses to ...

Study described pain intensity and interference at baseline and 1 year post injury in burn, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors compared to each other and with the general population (GP). It also evaluated the feasibility and utility of custom Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System ...

Objective: To investigate the changes in total internet and mobile internet use over time and determine how demographic characteristics are related to changes in internet and mobile internet use among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Cross-sectional analysis of a multicenter cohort study. Setting: National SCI Database. Participants: Individuals with traumatic SCI ...

Objective: To investigate residential mobility among community-living adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) and the individual, health, and neighborhood factors associated with the propensity to relocate. Design: Retrospective analysis of data from the National SCI Model Systems (SCIMS) Database collected between 2006 and 2018 and linked with the American Community Survey ...

Objective: To evaluate the reliability, standard error of measurement, minimum detectable change, and item-level consistency of the Transfer Assessment Instrument (TAI) version 4.0 when used to evaluate transfer quality remotely. Design: Participants transferred from their wheelchair to a mat table (transfer 1), repeated this after a 10-minute delay to assess intrarater ...

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a web-based, direct-to-user transfer training program in improving transfer quality and maintaining improvements for up to 1 month after training as compared with a control group. Design: Randomized controlled trial with participants randomized to an immediate intervention group (IIG) or waitlist control group (WLCG) that ...

Objective: To test the hypotheses that remote training improves trainer confidence and when these trainers train others the capacity and confidence of the trainees improves. Design: Cohort study with pre- vs posttraining comparisons. Setting: Four spinal cord injury model systems centers. Participants: Convenience sample of 7 clinician trainers and 19 able-bodied trainees (N=26). Interventions: ...

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of group wheelchair maintenance training and investigate participant characteristics associated with responsiveness to training. Design: Randomized controlled trial with an immediate group and a waitlist control group (WLCG) who received the intervention after a 6-month delay. Setting: Four Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers. Participants: Manual (MWC; n=80) ...

Objective: To investigate the frequency and consequences of wheelchair repairs, looking at the relationship to usage, components, out-of-pocket costs, number of days affecting the user, and factors associated with the need for repairs or consequences. Design: Survey, cross-sectional. Setting: Nine spinal cord injury (SCI) Model Systems centers. Participants: Wheelchair users with SCI (N=533). Interventions: ...

Objective: To explore participants' experiences after implantation of a diaphragmatic pacing system (DPS). Design: Cross-sectional, observational study using self-report questionnaires. Setting: Participants were recruited from 6 Spinal Cord Injury Model System centers across the United States (Craig Hospital, CO; Jefferson/Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, PA; Kessler Rehabilitation Center, NJ; University of Miami, FL; The ...

Objective: To characterize the qualities that individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) associate with their experience of spasticity and to describe the relationship between spasticity and perceived quality of life and the perceived value of spasticity management approaches. Design: Online cross-sectional survey. Setting: Multicenter collaboration among 6 Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems ...

Objective: To characterize the use of complementary and integrative health care (CIH) by people with spinal cord injury. Design: Cross-sectional self-report study. Setting: Participants were recruited from 5 Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) centers across the United States. Interventions: Not applicable. Participants: A total of 411 persons enrolled in the SCIMS completing their ...

Objective: To evaluate whether pain interference mediates the relationship between pain intensity and probable major depression (PMD) among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), accounting for differences in the frequency of prescription medication use and resilience. Design: Cross-sectional analysis using self-report assessment. Setting: Medical university in the Southeastern United States. Participants: There were ...

Objective: To identify microRNA biomarkers and clinical factors associated with neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury. Design: Cross-sectional, secondary analysis of baseline data collected from ongoing clinical studies. Using a genome-wide microRNA screening approach, we studied differential microRNA expression in serum from 43 adults with spinal cord injury enrolled in ongoing ...

Objective: To compare prevalence, intensity ratings, and interference ratings of neuropathic pain (NeuP) and nociceptive pain in people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Six SCI Model System centers in the United States. Participants: Convenience sample of 391 individuals (N=391) with traumatic SCI, 18 years or older, 81% ...

Objective: To identify the self-reported frequency of emergency department (ED) visits, ED-related hospitalizations, and reasons for ED visits among people with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and compare them with general population data from the same geographic area. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: A specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States. Participants: The participants (N=648) ...

Objective: To examine the association between body mass index (BMI [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared]) and mortality after the first year post spinal cord injury (SCI) overall and across demographic and injury characteristics. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Sixteen Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) centers. Participants: SCIMS ...