Onset Of Spinal Cord Injury Research Articles

Factors influencing employment among people with spinal cord injury in South Africa

Purpose The unemployment rate post spinal cord injury (SCI) in South Africa is high with limited knowledge of environmental factors outside the health services, especially in an unevenly developed resource setting like South Africa, affecting the employment rate in people with SCI. Our purpose was to investigate factors associated with employment in people with SCI in South Africa. Methods Two hundred persons with SCI participated in a cross-sectional survey design. This study formed part of the International Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey. Subsections of the questionnaire responses were used as explanatory variables to predict employment after SCI using logistic regression analysis. Results The response rate of the study was 54%. Of the 200 participants included, 61% reported being employed before SCI onset whereas only 25% reported being engaged in paid work at the time of this study. The logistic regression model showed not requiring physical assistance in the home environment (p = 0.016), the number of education years before SCI (p = 0.007), household income (p < 0.001), having worked before SCI onset (p = 0.041), and environmental factors (p = 0.029) to be factors associated with employment after SCI. Conclusion The finding suggests multiple factors influence the employment rate, advocating for interdisciplinary rehabilitation approaches and social development interventions to address meaningful occupations in persons with SCI in South Africa. Implications for rehabilitation Rehabilitation programs should be adapted and tailored to enhance physical independence. Public policies regarding environmental factors such as access to reliable transport, assistive devices, and public places for wheelchair users are important and could potentially support individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) becoming employed/re-employed. For successful social/community/civic reintegration for individuals with SCI an intersectional collaboration (i.e., between policymakers, health professionals, and the labor market) needs to be considered to improve the employment opportunities post-SCI.

Potential value of differentially expressed circular RNAs derived from circulating exosomes in the pathogenesis of rat spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one kind of devastating neurological damage, and specific molecular mechanisms involved need to be understood deeply. Currently, circular RNAs (circRNAs), as a newly discovered type of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), have been under active investigation. Through functional interactions with disease-associated microRNAs (miRNAs), exosome-derived circRNAs have been extensively implicated in various organ pathogenesis. Nevertheless, the functional involvement of circulating circRNAs in SCI onset, progression as well as repair remains poorly explored until now. Of note, there still lacks clinical and experimental evidence in this regard. To obtain some relevant knowledge in this field, this study was originally designed to have a general overview of differentially expressed circRNAs derived from circulating exosomes in SCI rats in comparison with the control rats. It turned out that 709 types of downregulated circRNAs and 346 kinds of upregulated circRNAs were preliminarily screened out. Functional enrichment analyses including kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway and gene ontology (GO) were performed to evaluate the possible biological functions of upregulated as well as downregulated circRNAs involved in SCI. Furthermore, five types of upregulated circulating circRNAs including chr4:208359914-208362182+, chr15:20088296-20092102+, chr1:175098934- 175134845-, chr1:175099657- 175128203-, and chr1:175104454- 175134845-, and plus five kinds of downregulated circulating circRNAs including chr11:74154652- 74159524-, chr12:45412398- 45412635-, chr7:137630261- 137648924-, chr6:6280974-6281188+, and chr4:225251864-225254087+, were verified through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). At last, taking these differentially expressed circRNAs in the center, the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA gene interaction network was constructed to predict the possible functionalities of circRNAs in SCI through anticipating specific interactive miRNAs, giving new insights into how circRNAs contribute to this pathological process. Taken together, these findings suggest the possible involvement and functional significance of circRNAs in SCI.

Feasibility of gabapentin as an intervention for neurorecovery after an acute spinal cord injury: Protocol.

This protocol is describing the first ever prospective, mock-efficacy, dose exploration trial design testing the feasibility of administering gabapentin in the acute setting as an intervention for neurorecovery. Gabapentin is an FDA-approved medication for treating seizures and postherpetic neuralgia and is used broadly off-label for neuropathic pain management for many conditions, including spinal cord injury. Emerging data suggests that when given early after spinal cord injury onset and in low-medium doses, gabapentin may have properties that promote recovery of neurological function. The objective of this trial is to assess the feasibility of conducting an efficacy trial in which gabapentin is started early after injury, is restricted in its dose, and is not used for pain management. Forty-two people aged 18 years or older with any level and any severity of spinal cord injury induced by a trauma will be enrolled, randomized, and have the first dose of study medication by 120 h post-injury onset. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 600, 1,800 mg/day gabapentin, or placebo. Study medication will be given for a 90-day duration. Blinded assessments will be obtained at 7 days post-injury (baseline), 30 days post-injury (interim), after the 90-day treatment duration/approximately 3 months post-injury (end of treatment), and at 6 months post-injury (end of study). The key analysis parameters will evaluate feasibility of recruitment of target population, delivery of drug treatment protocol, maintenance of blinding, and retention of participants. Outputs from this trial will inform research and clinical practice on the effects of manipulating gabapentin for non-pain management purposes in the acute setting and will guide the development of a properly powered efficacy trial of gabapentin as an intervention for neurorecovery in spinal cord injury. The study was approved by the MetroHealth Institutional Review Board (IRB21-00609) and registered at clinicaltrials.gov prior to enrolling any participants. Dissemination will include peer-reviewed publications, presentations at professional conferences and in the community, and through other healthcare and public venues. www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05302999; protocol version 1.1 approved 05/23/2022. National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.

Metformin Protects against Spinal Cord Injury and Cell Pyroptosis via AMPK/NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an extreme neurological impairment with few effective drug treatments. Pyroptosis is a recently found and proven type of programmed cell death that is characterized by a reliance on inflammatory caspases and the release of a large number of proinflammatory chemicals. Pyroptosis differs from other cell death mechanisms such as apoptosis and necrosis in terms of morphological traits, incidence, and regulatory mechanism. Pyroptosis is widely involved in the occurrence and development of SCI. In-depth research on pyroptosis will help researchers better understand its involvement in the onset, progression, and prognosis of SCI, as well as provide new therapeutic prevention and treatment options. Herein, we investigated the role of AMPK-mediated activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the neuroprotection of MET-regulated pyroptosis. We found that MET treatment reduced NLRP3 inflammasome activation by activating phosphorylated AMPK and reduced proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) release. At the same time, MET improved motor function recovery in rats after SCI by reducing motor neuron loss in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. Taken together, our study confirmed that MET inhibits neuronal pyroptosis after SCI via the AMPK/NLRP3 signaling pathway, which is mostly dependent on the AMPK pathway increase, hence decreasing NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Pain Trajectories During Initial Rehabilitation After Spinal Cord Injury: Do Psychosocial Resources and Mental Health Predict Trajectories?

ObjectiveTo identify classes of pain trajectories during initial rehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI) and to investigate whether psychosocial resources and mental health predict pain trajectory membership. DesignLongitudinal analysis with prospective data from the Inception Cohort of the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study. SettingInitial rehabilitation in 4 SCI specialized rehabilitation centers in Switzerland. ParticipantsIndividuals aged ≥16 years with newly diagnosed traumatic or nontraumatic SCI admitted to initial rehabilitation between August 2015 and April 2021 (N=343). InterventionNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresPain intensity was assessed at 4 time points (4, 12, and 24 weeks after SCI and at discharge) with 1 item of the International SCI Basic Pain Dataset asking participants to rate their average pain intensity experienced during the past week on a 0-10 numeric rating scale. ResultsFour pain trajectories were identified by latent process mixed modeling: stable moderate pain (N=170, 49.6%), decreasing pain (N=36, 10.5%), increasing pain (N=16, 4.7%), and stable low pain (N=121, 35.3%). Participants with higher optimism (β = 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.22), more social support (β = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.01-0.59), and less anxiety (β = −0.13; 95% CI, −0.24 to −0.01) 1 month after injury were more likely to be classified to the decreasing pain than the stable moderate pain trajectory in adjusted analyses. Self-efficacy, purpose in life, and depressive symptoms did not predict this allocation when adjusting for sociodemographics, SCI characteristics, and pain medication. ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of psychosocial resources and mental health for early pain trajectories after SCI onset and support the notion that strengthening psychosocial resources and mental health early after SCI could present promising targets in pain management.

The primary and secondary causes of hospitalizations during the first five years after spinal cord injury.

Study Design:Cohort study. Retrospective analysis of uniform billing discharge data (UB-04).Objectives:To compare and contrast the primary and secondary causes of hospitalization by type of admission, emergency department (ED) versus inpatient only (IP), during the first five years after the traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).Setting:Academic Medical University in the Southeastern USA.Methods:2569 adults with traumatic SCI were identified from a population-based registry and matched to billing data. The main outcome measures were primary and secondary diagnoses associated with hospital admissions in non-federal, state hospitals.Results:Overall, there were 9733 hospital admissions in the five years after SCI onset, not including the initial hospitalization; 53% were admissions through the ED. The primary causes of hospitalizations after SCI varied by year post injury and admission type (ED versus IP). The top 15 secondary diagnoses included several secondary health conditions associated with SCI, as well as chronic health conditions.Conclusions:Rehabilitation diagnoses were much more prominent during the first year, compared with subsequent years. Septicemia was the leading cause of admissions through the ED, whereas chronic ulcer of the skin were prominent for IP only admissions. This is consistent with the acute nature of septicemia compared with more planned hospitalization for rehabilitation and skin ulcers. These conditions should be targeted for prevention strategies that include patient/family education and early and appropriate access to primary care.

Effects of Polyphenols on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Interconnected Pathways during Spinal Cord Injury.

Despite the progression in targeting the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) and spinal cord injury (SCI), there is a lack of effective treatments. Moreover, conventional therapies suffer from associated side effects and low efficacy, raising the need for finding potential alternative therapies. In this regard, a comprehensive review was done regarding revealing the main neurological dysregulated pathways and providing alternative therapeutic agents following SCI. From the mechanistic point, oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways are major upstream orchestras of cross-linked dysregulated pathways (e.g., apoptosis, autophagy, and extrinsic mechanisms) following SCI. It urges the need for developing multitarget therapies against SCI complications. Polyphenols, as plant-derived secondary metabolites, have the potential of being introduced as alternative therapeutic agents to pave the way for treating SCI. Such secondary metabolites presented modulatory effects on neuronal oxidative stress, neuroinflammatory, and extrinsic axonal dysregulated pathways in the onset and progression of SCI. In the present review, the potential role of phenolic compounds as critical phytochemicals has also been revealed in regulating upstream dysregulated oxidative stress/inflammatory signaling mediators and extrinsic mechanisms of axonal regeneration after SCI in preclinical and clinical studies. Additionally, the coadministration of polyphenols and stem cells has shown a promising strategy for improving post-SCI complications.

Which factors have an association to the Quality of Life (QoL) of people with acquired Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)? A cross-sectional explorative observational study

Study designCross-sectional explorative observational study.ObjectivesTo identify factors which have an association to the self-perceived Quality of Life (QoL) for persons with acquired spinal cord injury (SCI).SettingEight specialized SCI-centers in Germany. The GerSCI survey is the German part of the International Spinal Cord Injury Survey (InSCI).MethodsSelf-disclosure questionnaire, created from the InSCI group, translated and adapted for Germany. The questionnaire collects a very broad range of data and, and due to its design as a self-report, is particularly suitable for the analysis on QoL. Because of the content, which is binding for all participating states, it allows a direct comparability of the results. Included in Germany were 1479 persons with acquired SCI aged 18 years and older.ResultsVarious factors were identified with high associations to QoL, including changeable and unchangeable ones, such as those of particular importance: pain, sleep problems, sexual dysfunction, age, and time since onset of SCI. Some results confirmed reports of previous studies, others were surprising.Conclusionthis study provides an important basis for the planned analysis of the InSCI participating countries in the 6 WHO regions. Germany was able to contribute the largest study population. The concrete study design of InSCI allows us to directly compare data and helps us to improve ourselves within the framework of a “learning health system”. Medical measures can be orientated towards the found results, in order to ensure the best possible care and support by the therapeutic team, individually adapted to the person, place of residence and impairment.

Favorable prognosis with nonsurgical management of type III acute odontoid fractures: a consecutive series of 212 patients

BACKGROUND CONTEXTThe recommended primary treatment for type III odontoid fractures (OFx) is external immobilization, except for patients having major displacement of the odontoid fragment. The bony fusion rate of type III OFx has been reported to be >85%. High compliance to treatment recommendations is favorable only if the treatment leads to a good outcome. PURPOSEThe primary aim of this study was to determine the long-term outcome after conservative and surgical treatment of type III OFx and to reaffirm that primary external immobilization is the best treatment for most type III fractures. STUDY DESIGN/SETTINGRetrospective study based on a prospective database. PATIENT SAMPLETwo hundred twelve consecutive patients with type III OFx treated at Oslo University Hospital over an 8-year period (2009–2017). OUTCOME MEASURESLong-term rates of bony fusion, crossover from primary conservative treatment to surgical fixation, new onset spinal cord injury (SCI), severe persistent neck pain (visual analogue scale - VAS), and persistent disability measured with Neck Disability index (NDI). METHODSThe present study was based on data extracted from our quality control database for acute cervical spine fractures from a general population. During the years 2018 to 2019 long-term follow-up of alive patients was performed (median follow-up time was 38.0 months; range 3.0–108.0 months). The follow-up included neurological examination, radiological examination and scoring of bony fusion status, crossover from primary conservative treatment to surgical fixation, new onset SCI, neck pain, and Neck Disability Index (NDI score). RESULTSIn this consecutive series of 212 patients with type III acute OFx, median patient age was 72 years, 56% had severe preinjury comorbidities (ASA score ≥3) and 22% lived dependently. Severe comorbidities and dependent living were significantly associated with increasing age (p<.001). The trauma mechanism was fall injury in 82%. The median age of patients injured by falls was significantly higher than in patients with a nonfall injury (p<.001). At the time of diagnosis, 4% had an OFx related SCI. Primary treatment was external immobilization alone in 95.3% and open surgical fixation in 4.7%. Patients treated with primary external immobilization alone presented with significantly less translation of the odontoid fragment (p<.001) and less angulation of the odontoid fragment (p=.025) than patients treated with primary surgery. Subsequent crossover to surgical fixation was performed in 5.4%. At long-term follow-up, 95.7% of patients had bony fusion of the OFx, 80.5% had minimal/no neck pain, and none developed new onset SCI. There was no significant difference in long-term follow-up VAS (p=.444) or NDI (p=.562) between the primary external immobilization group and the primary surgical group. CONCLUSIONThis study reaffirms that nonsurgical treatment remains the preferable option in the majority of patients with type III OFx.

Cost of Hospitalizations During The First Five Years After The Onset Of Spinal Cord Injury: A Population-Based Study Using Billing Records

Cost of Hospitalizations During The First Five Years After The Onset Of Spinal Cord Injury: A Population-Based Study Using Billing Records

Stem Cell Therapy for Neurogenic Bladder Dysfunction in Rodent Models: A Systematic Review.

PurposeNeurogenic bladder dysfunction (NGB) has an impact on the quality of life, which made it an important research subject in preclinical studies. The present review investigates the effect of stem cell (SC) therapy on bladder functional recovery after the onset of spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson disease (PD), and stroke in rodent models.MethodsAll experiments evaluated the regenerative potential of SC on the management of NGB in rodent models up to June 2019, were included. From 1,189 relevant publications, 20 studies met our inclusion criteria of which 15 were conducted on SCI, 2 on PD, 2 on stroke, and 1 on MS in the rodent models. We conducted a meta-analysis on SCI experiments and for other neurological diseases, detailed urodynamic findings were reported.ResultsThe common SC sources used for therapeutical purposes were neural progenitor cells, bone marrow mesenchymal SCs, human amniotic fluid SCs, and human umbilical cord blood SCs. There was a significant improvement of micturition pressure in both contusion and transaction SCI models 4 and 8 weeks post-SC transplantation. Residual urine volume, micturition volume, and bladder capacity were improved 28 days after SC transplantation only in the transaction model of SCI. Nonvoiding contraction recovered only in 56 days post-cell transplantation in the contusion model.ConclusionsPartial bladder recovery has been evident after SC therapy in SCI models. Due to limitations in the number of studies in other neurological diseases, additional studies are necessary to confirm the detailed mechanism for bladder recovery.

Age as a determinant of inflammatory response and survival of glia and axons after human traumatic spinal cord injury

Despite the shift in the demographics of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) with increased proportion of injuries in the elderly, little is known on the potential effects of old age on the pathobiology of SCI. Since there is an assumption that age adversely affects neural response to SCI, this study examines the clinically relevant question on whether age is a key determinant of inflammatory response, oligodendroglial apoptosis and axonal survival after traumatic SCI. This unique study includes post-mortem spinal cord tissue from 64 cases of SCI (at cervical or high-thoracic levels) and 38 control cases without CNS injury. Each group was subdivided into subgroups of younger and elderly individuals (65 years of age or older at the SCI onset). The results of this study indicate that age at the SCI onset does not adversely affect the cellular inflammatory response to, oligodendroglial apoptosis and axonal survival after SCI. These results support the conclusion that elderly individuals have similar neurobiological responses to SCI as younger people and, hence, treatment decisions should be based on an assessment of the individual patient and not an arbitrary assumption that “advanced age” should exclude patients with an acute SCI from access to advanced care and translational therapies.

Correlation Between D-Dimer Level and Deep Venous Thrombosis in Patients With Acute Spinal Cord Injuries.

Venous thromboembolism is a serious life-threatening complication of S SCI. Measurement of D-dimer levels is used as a screening test for deep vein thrombosis. However, trauma, surgery, and motor weakness are known as factors that affect D-dimer levels. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the correlation between D-dimer levels and deep vein thrombosis in relation to the comorbidities in acute spinal cord injury. A retrospective observational study was conducted at a hospital's rehabilitation department. Forty-five patients without pharmacologic thromboembolic thromboprophylaxis 5-90 days after the onset of injury were enrolled. Fourteen patients (31%) were diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis using duplex ultrasonography. The mean ± SD D-dimer levels were 2.15 ± 2.74 and 6.98 ± 7.46 μg/ml in the deep vein thrombosis-negative and deep vein thrombosis-positive groups, respectively. The lower limb motor index scores significantly correlated with D-dimer levels regardless of the time between the onset of spinal cord injury and D-dimer testing. Patients with trauma had significantly increased D-dimer levels compared with patients without trauma. Although D-dimer levels have limitations with regard to the positive prediction of acute spinal cord injury, it is a useful screening parameter for deep vein thrombosis. Trauma and lower limb motor weakness should be considered when analyzing D-dimer levels.

Trends in nonroutine physician visits and hospitalizations: findings among five cohorts from the Spinal Cord Injury Longitudinal Aging Study.

Longitudinal cohort study OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lifetime variation in healthcare utilization among individuals with a chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Medical university in the Southeastern United States (US). Participants were identified from two Midwestern University hospitals and a specialty hospital in the Southeastern US and were enrolled in 1973-1974, 1984-1985, 1993-1994, and 2003-2004. Generalized linear mixed models were used to explore changes in nonroutine physician visits, hospitalizations, and days hospitalized within the 24 months prior to the study. Significant temporal linear spline change was found for nonroutine physician visits. The proportion of participants reporting ≥10 nonroutine physician visits in the 24 months prior to assessment kept relatively constant over the 30 years post injury (p value of trend: p = 0.605) and sharply increased afterwards (pknot = 30 years since injury = 0.016). The trajectory for hospitalization and days hospitalized followed a quadratic pattern (pyears post injury2 < 0.001) for all participants. The proportion of individuals who had at least one hospitalization and were hospitalized for more than 1 week significantly declined from the onset of SCI to 25-30 years post injury, then significantly increased thereafter. The natural course of changes in three indices of healthcare utilization was curve-linearly, rather than linearly related to years post injury. People with SCI tended to have significant changes in healthcare utilization after about 30 years injury.

Association Between SCIM III Total Scores and Individual Item Scores to Predict Independence With ADLs in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury

ObjectiveTo clarify the activities of daily living (ADL) structure of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) by analyzing the associations between the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM III) total score and individual SCIM III item scores. DesignA retrospective survey. SettingA national hospital with 2 SCI units in Japan. ParticipantsInpatients (N=81) within 60 days of SCI onset were included (men, 84%). The mean age was 62 years. Of these, 63 persons had incomplete SCI (47 persons had tetraplegia). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasureSCIM III was used to assess the ADL independence level on a monthly basis during hospitalization. SCIM III data were analyzed with ordinal logistic analyses. ResultsThe analyses revealed that SCIM III total scores accounted for the probabilities of individual SCIM III item scores. Goodness-of-fit of each logistic model by Wald test was significant (P<.001, R2McFadden=0.183-0.598). Some items in the self-care domain showed a shallow (ie, less steep) logistic curve. Regarding the feeding item, a total score of 80 was needed to attain the complete independence level, while patients with a total score >10 attained modified independence level. ConclusionsThe SCIM III total score can provide information on the probability and degree of difficulty of attaining independence for each item. Therefore, the present total SCIM III scores could be the indication for ADL attainment. In addition, the higher total SCIM III score and the probability of individual items score are useful for planning efficient rehabilitative approaches, considering the degree of difficulty of attaining independence for each item. Moreover, our results show good generalizability across patients with complete and incomplete SCI.

Standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies reduce spinal cord injury during perioperative period of aortic surgery: an 8-year retrospective analysis

To observe the incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) following aortic surgery in Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and evaluate the effect of standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies, to summarize the experience in the prevention and treatment of SCI at perioperative period of aortic surgery. The clinical data of patients underwent aortic surgery admitted to vascular center of Fuwai Hospital from January 2011 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients receiving traditional spinal cord protection strategies from January 2011 to December 2016 were defined as the control group, while the patients receiving standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies from January 2017 to December 2018 were defined as the standardized treatment group. The standardized multidisciplinary treatment included preoperative cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD), respiratory tract management, and maintenance of effective circulation of the lowest venous pressure; at the same time, anticoagulation, glucocorticoid, improve microcirculation, scavenge oxygen free radicals and other adjuvant treatments were started, and nerve function was monitored to prevent complications. The changes in SCI incidence after aortic surgery between the two groups were observed in order to evaluate the effect of standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies. Meanwhile, the types of SCI after operation and the safety of CSFD were analyzed. During the 8-year period, 7 724 patients underwent aortic surgery at vascular center of Fuwai Hospital, 64 of which suffered from SCI after aortic surgery with total incidence of 0.83%. The onset of SCI was immediate in 39 patients (60.94%) and was delayed in 25 patients (39.06%), more than half of patients were immediate SCI. Of 64 patients with SCI, 52 patients (81.25%) underwent paraplegia and 12 (18.75%) underwent paraparesis. SCI persisted beyond discharge in 38 patients (59.38%) and 25 patients (39.06%) fully or partly recovered form SCI. One patient (1.56%) died. Compared with the control group, the incidence of SCI was decreased significantly after application of standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies. The total incidence of SCI after aortic surgery was decreased from 1.06% (52/4 893) to 0.42% (12/2 831), the incidence after aortic arch replacement under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was decreased from 3.66% (40/1 092) to 1.11% (5/450), and the incidence after thoraco-abdominal aortic replacement was decreased from 9.40% (11/117) to 2.47% (2/81) with statistically significant difference (all P < 0.05). Perioperative CSFD analysis showed that the incidence of CSFD-related complications was low, the overall incidence was 5.45% (3/55), including 1 patient of cerebrospinal fluid leakage, 2 patients of blood cerebrospinal fluid. No serious complications such as hemorrhage and infection of central nervous system occurred. The main type of SCI after aortic surgery was immediate, about 39% SCI patients fully or partly recovered. Standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies which included preoperative CSFD, reduced incidence of SCI after aortic surgery. The incidence of CSFD-related complications was low, which was safe and effective.

Computer and internet use among people with long-standing spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional survey in the Netherlands.

Cross-sectional survey OBJECTIVES: To describe computer and Internet use (other than for work or study) among people with long-standing spinal cord injury (SCI), examine associations between demographic and lesion characteristics and Internet use, and examine associations between Internet use and mental health, participation, and life satisfaction. Community, The Netherlands METHODS: Participants were 265 individuals living with SCI for at least 10 years, who were 18-35 at the onset of SCI, aged 28-65 at the time of the study and wheelchair-user. Scales for General and Health-related Internet use were developed. Nearly all (97.7%) participants had Internet access and 98.4% of those used it daily or weekly. Of those with tetraplegia, 47.4% had assistive devices for computer use. General Internet use, such as following news and online banking, was very frequent. Websites with information on general health or accessibility were typically visited a few times a year. Three-quarters never visited websites of other individuals with SCI or foreign websites with information on SCI. General Internet use was associated with male gender, younger age, and higher education. Participants with tetraplegia scored higher on Health-related Internet use compared to participants with paraplegia. Health-related Internet use was associated with worse participation, but not with the other psychosocial variables. Internet has become part of daily life of people with SCI in the Netherlands. However, only one association between Internet use and indicators of psychosocial functioning was found. Possible underuse of adaptive devices and of SCI-specific websites warrant further investigation.

Concentration of Costs Among High Utilizers of Health Care Services Over the First 10 Years After Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Population-based Study

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to (1) categorize individuals into high, medium, and low utilizers of health care services over a 10-year period after the onset of spinal cord injury (SCI) and (2) identify the pattern of causes of hospitalizations and the characteristics associated with high utilization. DesignRetrospective analysis of self-report assessment linked to administrative data. SettingData were collected from participants living in and utilizing hospitals in the state of South Carolina. ParticipantsAdult participants with traumatic SCI were identified through a state SCI Surveillance System Registry, a population-based system capturing all incident cases treated in nonfederal facilities. Among 963 participants who completed self-report assessments, we matched those with a minimum of 10 years of administrative records for a final sample of 303 participants (N=303). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresCosts related to health care utilization for emergency department visits and hospitalizations, as measured operationally by hospital charges at full and established rates; causes of hospitalizations ResultsOver two-thirds of the total $49.4 million in charges for hospitalization over the 10-year timeframe (69%) occurred among 16.5% of the cohort (high utilizers), whereas those in the low utilizer group comprised 53% of the cohort with only 3.5% of the charges. The primary diagnoses were septicemia (50%), other urinary tract disorder (48%), mechanical complication of device, implant, or graft (48%), and chronic ulcer of skin (40%). Primary diagnoses were frequently accompanied by secondary diagnoses, indicating the co-occurrence of multiple secondary health conditions. High utilizers were more likely to be male, minority, have a severe SCI, have reported frequent pressure ulcers and have income of less than $35,000 per year. ConclusionsThe high cost of chronic health care utilization over a 10-year timeframe was concentrated in a relatively small portion of the SCI population who have survived more than a decade after SCI onset.

Functional independence of persons with long-standing motor complete spinal cord injury in the Netherlands

Context/Objective: Since life expectancy of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) has improved, it is relevant to know whether this group is able to maintain functional abilities many years after onset of SCI. Objectives of this study were (1) to examine associations between time since injury (TSI) and functional independence in persons with long-standing SCI and (2) to explore associations between functional independence and level of injury, comorbidities, mental health, waist circumference and secondary health conditions (SHCs).Design: TSI-stratified cross-sectional study. Strata were 10–19, 20–29 and 30+ years.Setting: Community.Participants: 226 persons with long-standing SCI. Inclusion criteria: motor complete SCI; age at injury 18–35 years; TSI ≥ 10 years; current age 28–65 years; wheelchair dependency.Interventions: Not applicable.Outcome measures: The Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM) was administered by a trained research assistant. Level of injury, comorbidities, mental health, waist circumference and SHCs were assessed by a rehabilitation physician.Results: Mean TSI was 23.6 (SD 9.1) years. No significant differences in SCIM scores were found between TSI strata. SCIM scores were lower for persons with tetraplegia, autonomic dysreflexia, hypotension, more than four SHCs and a high waist circumference. In linear regression analyses, TSI nor age was associated with the SCIM total score. Only level of injury (β = –0.7; P < .001) and waist circumference (β = –0.1; P = .042) were independent determinants (explained variance 55%).Conclusion: We found no association between TSI and functional independence in persons with long-standing motor complete SCI. This study confirms the possible effect of overweight on functional independence.

Rasch analysis of the University of Washington Self-Efficacy Scale short-form (UW-SES-6) in people with long-standing spinal cord injury.

Cross-sectional psychometric study. The University of Washington Self-Efficacy Scale (UW-SES) is a measure of self-efficacy regarding managing challenges related to multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury (SCI) that can be used across disabling conditions. The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of its short form, the UW-SES-6, using the Rasch model. Community, The Netherlands. Secondary analysis of data from the ALLRISC study. Participants were 261 individuals with a time since onset of SCI (TSI) for at least 10 years, 18-35 at the onset of SCI, and used a wheelchair in everyday life. Rasch analyses were conducted to examine stochastic ordering (fit), unidimensionality, local dependency, reliability, response scale structure, targeting, and item bias. Median age was 47.8 years (Inter-Quartile Range (IQR) 41.9-55), median TSI was 22 years (IQR 16.8-30.3), 73.6% were male, 90.4% had a traumatic SCI, 39.8% had tetraplegia, and 81.6% had motor complete SCI. After merging the middle three response categories of item 4, the UW-SES-6 showed satisfactory item fit without local dependence. The PSI was high (0.87). Comparison of the person and item threshold distributions showed satisfactory targeting of the UW-SES-6 to the study group. No differential item functioning was seen with respect to sex, age, level of education, level and completeness of lesion, and TSI. This study showed the UW-SES-6 to be a scale with sound psychometric properties that can be used as a quick and easy self-report measure of self-efficacy in people with SCI.