SCI Publications

Study examined the feasibility (study compliance, protocol acceptability, and reactivity) of intensive data collection methods in adults with chronic pain and spinal cord injury (SCI). A secondary analysis was conducted of data from a 7-day ecological momentary assessment and end-of-day diary study in a sample of 131 community dwelling ...

Study evaluated the measurement properties of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), developed to quantify global quality of life and satisfaction. SWLS data were obtained from 17,897 individuals enrolled in the Model Systems funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). They included 8,566 ...

Study assessed the direct and long-term effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) on pain, quality of life (QOL), and life satisfaction following spinal cord injury (SCI). A two-phase randomized sham-controlled clinical trial was performed in which patients received 5 days of tDCS ...

Design: Convenience cross-sectional sample survey. Setting: Nine Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers. Participants: People with spinal cord injury who use a wheelchair >40h/wk (N=591). Interventions: Not applicable. Main outcome measures: Number of repairs needed and resulting adverse consequences, number and types of repairs completed, and location where main ...

      Research Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of a physical activity program on ASIA motor scores and HDL in persons with SCI.         Design: Randomized clinical trial.         Setting: Outpatient hospital setting.         Participants: Inclusion criteria were ≥1 year post-injury, SCI diagnosis, and ages 18-80 years. Those with cognitive deficits preventing learning, medical problems posing health risks, ...

Study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index/Assistive Technology (SCI-FI/AT) short forms (SFs) in the domains of basic mobility, self-care, fine motor function, and ambulation based on internal consistency, with specific SFs for people with paraplegia and tetraplegia. The study also examined correlations between SFs and ...

Study investigated the contribution of residential neighborhood characteristics to race disparities in participation among community-living adults with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Survey data from the SCI Model Systems (SCIMS) database were linked with residential characteristics derived from national survey and spatial data to assess the contribution of social, ...

Study investigated the association of multiple sets of risk and protective factors (biographic and injury, socioeconomic, health) with cause-specific mortality after spinal cord injury (SCI). Participants were 8,157 adults with traumatic SCI who were enrolled in a SCI Model Systems facility after 1973. All-cause mortality was determined using the ...

Study investigated whether pressure sensation at the S3 dermatome (a new test) could be used in place of deep anal pressure (DAP) to determine completeness of injury as part of the neurological classification of spinal cord injury (SCI). This prospective, multicenter observational study was conducted as a collaborative module ...

Study assessed the patterns of sacral sparing and recovery in newly injured individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) admitted to rehabilitation centers within 30 days after injury with follow-up at discharge, at 1 year, or both. The International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury examination results ...

Study examined associations between objective and self-reported measures of physical activity (PA) and the relationships of these measures with depression and satisfaction with life (SWL) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Data were collected from 86 individuals with traumatic SCI who use a manual wheelchair. Objective measures of ...

This article provides an overview of existing spinal cord injury (SCI) clinical research databases, including their purposes, characteristics, and accessibility to users; and presents a vision for future collaborations required for clinical research in SCI. This vision highlights the need for validated and relevant data for longitudinal clinical trials ...

Study evaluated the validity of the functional ability levels for the Spinal Cord Injury–Functional Index (SCI-FI). Data were collected from 855 individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) enrolled in 6 rehabilitation centers participating in the National SCI Model Systems Network. Cluster analyses identified three distinct groups that represent ...

Study assessed the relationship between measures of activity with dyspnea and satisfaction with life in chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Between July 2012 and March 2015, 347subjects with traumatic SCI ≥1 year after injury who used a manual wheelchair or walked with or without an assistive device reported hours ...

Study explored women’s experiences of living with spinal cord injury (SCI) and neurogenic bladder and bowel (NBB), a chronic condition hindering the functioning and quality of life of people with SCI. Secondary analysis of semi-structured interviews from a larger qualitative study of 50 women with SCI was conducted. Transcripts ...

Study assessed clinical and demographic characteristics associated with change in bone density over a mean of 21 months in 152 men and women with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) who were enrolled in the Fracture Risk after SCI (FRASCI) study. The association between statin use and bone loss following ...

Study evaluated the effects of repeated transfers on ultrasound markers for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in people with spinal cord injuries and to relate changes to subject characteristics and transfer skills. Participants were 30 wheelchair users with nonprogressive paraplegia recruited via research registries and at the 2013 National Veterans ...

Study investigated how transfer technique and subject characteristics relate to ultrasound measures of shoulder soft tissue pathology and self-reported shoulder pain during transfers in a sample of 76 wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Outcome measures included: transfer pain items from the Wheelchair User’s Shoulder Pain Index; transfer ...

Study determined the deficit rates for transfer component skills among veterans who use wheelchairs and explored the relationship between deficit rates and subject characteristics. Seventy-four men and 18 women performed up to four transfers independently from their wheelchair to a mat table while a therapist evaluated their transfer techniques ...

This study was conducted to describe individual-level temporal change in life satisfaction after spinal cord injury (SCI) using individual growth curve (IGC) analysis of prospectively collected data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Database (NSCID). IGC methodology allows researchers and clinicians to anticipate patient-specific trajectories through use of an ...