Poster 193: The effect of hand dominance on motor recovery in incomplete cervical spinal cord injury.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship between hand dominance and motor recovery in incomplete cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Retrospective analysis using neurologic assessment at admission and 1 year or later postinjury. Hand dominance prior to injury was obtained via telephone. Setting: Regional SCI center affiliated with a university hospital. Participants: 58 subjects (51 right handed, 7 left handed) with incomplete cervical SCI. Interventions: Traditional medical and rehabilitation care. Main Outcome Measures: Motor point recovery per extremity and percentage recovery per extremity. Percentage recovery was defined as actual motor point recovery per extremity divided by maximum possible motor point recovery per extremity. Outcome measures were analyzed for statistical significance using Wilcoxon test for P values, the Hodges-Lehmann estimates for median differences, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The average motor point recovery for upper extremities was 7.84 for the dominant side and 8.97 for the nondominant side. Corresponding values for the lower extremities were 7.19 for the dominant side and 7.66 for the nondominant side. The percentage recovery for the upper extremities was 50% for the dominant side and 51% for the nondominant side; for the lower extremities, 38% for the dominant side and 36% for the nondominant side. The median difference between dominant and nondominant motor point recovery for the upper extremities was −1.0 point (95% CI, −3.0 to 0.5) and −0.5 points (95% CI, −3.5 to 2.5) in the lower extremities. The median difference between dominant and nondominant percentage of motor recovery was −4% (95% CI, −13% to 5%) in the upper extremities and −2% (95% CI, −12% to 12%) in the lower extremities. P values failed to reach statistical significance ( P<.05). Conclusions: Hand dominance does not influence motor recovery in incomplete cervical SCI.