Service needs and barriers to care five or more years after moderate to severe TBI among Veterans.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to identify the most frequent service needs, factors associated with needs, and barriers to care among Veterans and service members five or more years after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). RESEARCH DESIGN: Survey administered via telephone 5-16 years after injury (median eight years) and subsequent acute inpatient rehabilitation at a regional Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centre. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Participants were 119 Veterans and military personnel, aged 23-70 (median 35), 90% male. Demographics, injury characteristics, service needs, whether needs were addressed, barriers to care, health and general functioning were assessed. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The most frequent needs were for help with memory, information about available services and managing stress. Obtaining information about services was the most consistently un-addressed need; managing stress was the most consistently addressed need. Cognitive and psychiatric symptoms and alienation from community were associated with needs going un-addressed. Participants treated after an expansion of TBI services at the study site reported fewer un-addressed needs. Not knowing where to get help was the most common barrier to care. CONCLUSION: Repeated outreach, assessment of needs and education about available services are needed throughout Veterans' lifespan after moderate to severe TBI.

Long-term outcomes after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury among military veterans: Successes and challenges.

OBJECTIVE: To assess long-term outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) among veterans and service members. SETTING: Regional Veterans Affairs medical centre. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and eighteen veterans and military personnel, aged 23-70 years (median = 35 years), 90% male, had moderate-to-severe TBI (82% in coma > 1 day, 85% amnesic > 7 days), followed by acute interdisciplinary rehabilitation 5-16 years ago (median = 8 years). DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of live interviews conducted via telephone. MAIN MEASURES: TBI follow-up interview (occupational, social, cognitive, neurologic and psychiatric ratings), Community Integration Questionnaire, Disability Rating Scale (four indices of independent function) and Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS: At follow-up, 52% of participants were working or attending school; 34% ended or began marriages after TBI, but the overall proportion married changed little. Finally, 22% were still moderately-to-severely disabled. However, 62% of participants judged themselves to be as satisfied or more satisfied with life than before injury. Injury severity, especially post-traumatic amnesia, was correlated with poorer outcomes in all functional domains. CONCLUSIONS: After moderate-severe TBI, most veterans assume productive roles and are satisfied with life. However, widespread difficulties and functional limitations persist. These findings suggest that veteran and military healthcare systems should continue periodic, comprehensive follow-up evaluations long after moderate-to-severe TBI.

Size and aggregation of corticosteroids used for epidural injections.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to document particulate size in commonly used corticosteroid preparations. Inadvertent injection of particulate corticosteroids into a vertebral or foraminal artery can cause brain and spinal cord embolic infarcts and the size of the particles could be directly related to the chance that a clinically significant infarct would occur. One might assume that corticosteroids with particles significantly smaller than red blood cells might be safer. DESIGN: The following four types of corticosteroid preparations were used in various solutions and evaluated under light microscopy: dexamethasone sodium phosphate injection, triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension, betamethasone sodium phosphate and betamethasone acetate injectable suspension, and methylprednisolone acetate injectable suspension. RESULTS: Dexamethasone sodium phosphate particle size was approximately 10 times smaller than red blood cells and the particles did not appear to aggregate; even mixed with 1% lidocaine HCl solution and with contrast dye, the size of the particles were unchanged. Triamcinolone acetonide and betamethasone sodium phosphate showed variable sizes; some particles were larger than red blood cells, and aggregation of particles was evident. Methylprednisolone acetate showed uniformity in size and the majority were smaller than red blood cells which were not aggregated, but the particles were densely packed. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the particulate steroid solutions, dexamethasone sodium phosphate had particles that were significantly smaller than red blood cells, had the least tendency to aggregation, and had the lowest density. These characteristics should significantly reduce the risk of embolic infarcts or prevent them from occurring after intra-arterial injection. Until shown otherwise in clinical studies, interventionalists might consider using dexamethasone or another corticosteroid preparation with similar high solubility and negligible particle size when performing epidural injections.

Rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury in active duty military personnel and veterans: Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center randomized controlled trial of two rehabilitation approaches.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relative efficacy of 2 different acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation approaches: cognitive didactic versus functional-experiential, and secondarily to determine relative efficacy for different patient subpopulations. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, intent-to-treat trial comparing 2 alternative TBI treatment approaches. SETTING: Four Veterans Administration acute inpatient TBI rehabilitation programs. PARTICIPANTS: Adult veterans or active duty military service members (N=360) with moderate to severe TBI. INTERVENTIONS: One and a half to 2.5 hours of protocol-specific cognitive-didactic versus functional-experiential rehabilitation therapy integrated into interdisciplinary acute Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities-accredited inpatient TBI rehabilitation programs with another 2 to 2.5 hours daily of occupational and physical therapy. Duration of protocol treatment varied from 20 to 60 days depending on the clinical needs and progress of each participant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The 2 primary outcome measures were functional independence in living and return to work and/or school assessed by independent evaluators at 1-year follow-up. Secondary outcome measures consisted of the FIM, Disability Rating Scale score, and items from the Present State Exam, Apathy Evaluation Scale, and Neurobehavioral Rating Scale. RESULTS: The cognitive-didactic and functional-experiential treatments did not result in overall group differences in the broad 1-year primary outcomes. However, analysis of secondary outcomes found differentially better immediate posttreatment cognitive function (mean+/-SD cognitive FIM) in participants randomized to cognitive-didactic treatment (27.3+/-6.2) than to functional treatment (25.6+/-6.0, t332=2.56, P=.01). Exploratory subgroup analyses found that younger participants in the cognitive arm had a higher rate of returning to work or school than younger patients in the functional arm, whereas participants older than 30 years and those with more years of education in the functional arm had higher rates of independent living status at 1 year posttreatment than similar patients in the cognitive arm. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this large multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing cognitive-didactic and functional-experiential approaches to brain injury rehabilitation indicated improved but similar long-term global functional outcome. Participants in the cognitive treatment arm achieved better short-term functional cognitive performance than patients in the functional treatment arm. The current increase in war-related brain injuries provides added urgency for rigorous study of rehabilitation treatments. (http://ClinicalTrials.gov ID# NCT00540020.).

In vitro measurement of pressure differences using manometry at various injection speeds during discography.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Lumbar discography has been widely used to evaluate discogenic low back pain. Anecdotal evidence suggests that pain reproduction during discography is more closely correlated with peak dynamic pressure than with static postinjection pressure. Although there can be a significant difference between dynamic and static pressures, to date most discographic evaluations use static pressure recorded postinjection (which is stable and easily measured). The use of readings taken after injection, rather than readings of maximum dynamic peak pressure recorded during injection, appear to increase false positives in lumbar discography. High-speed intradiscal injections also appear to have potentially confounding effects that may increase the rate of false-positive responses during lumbar discography. To date there has been no study for the evaluation of peak dynamic intradiscal pressures or for differentiating dynamic from static pressures in the nucleus pulposus (NP) in response to various speeds of intradiscal injection. PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to obtain additional data on potential confounding factors that could affect discographic results by assessment of pressures within the NP during discography at various injection speeds. The purpose of data collection was to more precisely evaluate pressure differences between dynamic and static pressure within the NP, evident during discography. STUDY DESIGN: In vitro laboratory study. SAMPLES: A total of 82 trials were performed on intervening discs of 82 porcine cadaver lumbar spines. METHODS: Dynamic and static intradiscal pressures were measured with manometry, using two pressure sensors simultaneously during intradiscal injection of contrast media at various speeds. The tip of a 25-gauge needle was placed in the center of the NP and connected with a pressure manometer, which recorded the pressure and therefore the speed of injection. A second pressure reading was obtained using a sensor tip connected to a transducer; the sensor tip was located separately in the same NP tissue. The needle and transducer locations were confirmed by fluoroscopy. OUTCOME MEASURES: At low controlled injection speeds (below 0.08 mL/s), the mean peak pressure difference in the NP was 4.06 (+/-1.52) psi. With high-speed injections of 0.08 mL/s or greater, the mean increased abruptly up to 14.52 (+/-4.11) psi (p<.05). The data indicate that injections applied slowly resulted in smaller differences in pressure within the NP, registered by both manometry and the needle sensor tip. Additional samples were taken using both devices to confirm this threshold level. RESULTS: With low injection speeds, especially those below 0.08 mL/s, differences between dynamic and static pressures on both pressure sensors were minor. These differences increased as injection speed became faster. However, at fast injection speeds of 0.08 mL/s and above, those differences were significantly higher. CONCLUSION: Dynamic and static intradiscal pressures are of similar value when measured by manometer and by needle sensor at slow injection speeds during discography. However, the pressure differences appeared to rapidly increase in response to incremental increases in injection speed. The data from these 82 samples suggest that uncontrolled high speeds of intradiscal injections are a potential confounding factor, which may increase false-positive responses during lumbar discography.

Physiologic changes of compound muscle action potentials related to voluntary contraction and muscle length in carpal tunnel syndrome.

The affect of muscle length and voluntary contraction upon compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) in subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has been evaluated. Twenty-five hands in a CTS patient group and 29 hands in a normal subject control group were studied. The CMAPs from the abductor pollicis brevis induced by median nerve stimulation at the wrist were obtained for five thumb positions: neutral, abduction for shortening with and without contraction, and adduction for lengthening with and without contraction. Upon muscle shortening with relaxation, CMAP duration decreased in both groups, whereas waveform amplitude increased in the control group and showed no significant change in the CTS group. Muscle shortening with contraction afforded decreased CMAP duration and increased CMAP amplitude in both groups. Upon muscle lengthening with relaxation, both groups showed a reduction in CMAP amplitude and an increase in CMAP duration. Upon lengthening with contraction, CMAP duration decreased in the control group; in contrast, the CTS group showed further amplitude reduction and the waveform duration returned to the neutral value. These results demonstrate that, in patients with CTS, physiologic CMAP summations by muscle shortening or contraction may be less effective, whereas decreases in amplitude and increases in duration may be accentuated by lengthening and contraction.

Event-related potential in facial affect recognition: potential clinical utility in patients with traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently leads to deficits in social behavior. Prior research suggests that such deficits may result from impaired perception of basic social cues. However, these social-emotional deficits have not been studied electrophysiologically. We measured the P300 event-related potential (ERP), which has been shown to be a sensitive index of cognitive efficiency, in 13 patients with a history of moderate to severe TBI and in 13 healthy controls. The P300 response was measured during detection of 30 pictures of angry faces (rare target) randomly distributed among 120 neutral faces (frequent nontarget). Compared to control subjects, the TBI group's P300 responses were significantly delayed in latency (p = 0.002) and lower in amplitude (p = 0.003). TBI patients also showed slower reaction times and reduced accuracy when manually signaling their detection of angry faces. Coefficients of variation (CV) for the facial P300 response compared favorably to those of many standard clinical assays, suggesting potential clinical utility. For this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of studying TBI patients' P300 responses during the recognition of facial affect. Compared to controls, TBI patients showed significantly impaired electrophysiological and behavioral responses while attempting to detect affective facial cues. Additional studies are required for clinicians to determine whether this measure is related to patients' psychosocial function in the community.

Disabling foot cramping in a runner secondary to paramyotonia congenita: a case report.

An 18-year-old male runner was referred to the authors' clinic with a 1-year history of cramping left foot pain. His symptoms developed insidiously when he increased his training, with an onset of severe left foot pain and tightness that would develop after about 20 minutes of exercise. The more he continued to run, the more the symptoms were aggravated and evolved to the toes curling with intrinsic muscle spasm. This symptom was easily provoked when he was exposed to cold temperature. A family history of similar symptoms was revealed in his sister and uncle. Physical examination including neurologic examination was normal. Diagnostic workup revealed generalized myotonia. According to the history, physical examination, and diagnostic workup, his diagnosis was considered to be most compatible to paramyotonia congenita. He was given phenytoin, which lessened his symptoms and allowed him to continue running with minimal symptoms, but he stopped running because he was not able to maintain mileage high enough to compete successfully.

Cervical paraspinal spontaneous activity in asymptomatic subjects.

Paraspinal fibrillation potentials or positive sharp waves (PSWs) reportedly may be the only electrodiagnostic abnormality in patients with radiculopathies. However, spontaneous activity may be present in muscles of asymptomatic subjects. To determine whether abnormal spontaneous activity in the cervical paraspinal muscles is clinically relevant, we evaluated the prevalence of such activity in asymptomatic individuals and examined its relationship with age. Sixty-six asymptomatic subjects underwent a needle electromyographic examination of the paraspinal muscles bilaterally at the C5/6 and C6/7 levels. All of the recorded potentials were captured and their firing rates and waveforms were evaluated. The potentials were considered to be abnormal if reproducible trains of PSWs or fibrillation potentials were present. Eight of the 66 (12%) subjects showed PSWs, five bilaterally; none showed fibrillation potentials. A statistical analysis for the effect of age could not be performed due to the small sample size. Because electromyographic cervical paraspinal abnormalities can be found in asymptomatic subjects, caution should be exercised when attributing the etiology of neck pain to radiculopathy if the only electrodiagnostic findings are electromyographic cervical paraspinal abnormalities.

Distance measure error induced by displacement of the ulnar nerve when the elbow is flexed.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the presence of ulnar nerve displacement at the elbow when it is flexed and to determine its effect on distance measurements using the conventional measurement method for nerve conduction studies (NCSs). DESIGN: Comparing the ultrasonography-assisted distance measurement method with the conventional measurement method. SETTING: An electrodiagnostic laboratory at a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-eight elbows of 39 healthy volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: We used high-resolution ultrasonography in real time. Based on sonographic searching, we marked 3 points on the skin through the course of the displaced ulnar nerve when the elbow is flexed: (1) point A, 7 cm above the elbow (from the midpoint between the medial epicondyle tip and olecranon in the postcondylar groove [point M]); (2) point B, 3 cm below the elbow; and (3) point C, the point closest to the medial epicondyle tip. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Distance measurements between points A, B, and C were taken. These values were compared with measurements obtained through conventional measurement methods. RESULTS: Ulnar nerve displacement occurred in 24.3% (19/78) of the elbows; approximately 20.5% (16/78) were subluxation, and 3.8% (3/78) were dislocation. In the ulnar nerve displacement group, the distance between points A and C was 5.84+/-0.33 cm (range, 5.10-6.30 cm), and the distance between points B and C in the flexed position was 3.35+/-0.19 cm (range, 3.10-3.70 cm). When the conventional distance measurement was used, the ulnar nerve conduction velocity across the elbow was overestimated by approximately 5.33+/-2.29 m/s in the ulnar nerve displacement group. CONCLUSIONS: This distance measurement error may be responsible for the decreased sensitivity found in NCSs that test for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. If the NCS results are normal in patients who have clear symptoms of ulnar neuropathy, the possibility of ulnar nerve displacement at the elbow should be considered, and further investigation with ultrasonography would be beneficial.

Sensitivity, specificity, and variability of nerve conduction velocity measurements in carpal tunnel syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic values of 8 commonly used electrodiagnostic techniques for measuring median nerve conduction velocity (NCV) in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). DESIGN: Sensitivity and specificity analyses. SETTING: A hospital-based electrodiagnostic laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-four normal hands and 136 symptomatic hands. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Long-segment studies: antidromic wrist-to-digit sensory NCV without subtraction, (2) short-segment studies: transcarpal palm-to-wrist mixed NCV without subtraction, and (3) 2 segment studies: antidromic transcarpal sensory NCV with subtraction (differential calculation from wrist-to-digit and palm-to-digit segments). Both onset and peak latency values were obtained for calculating the NCV. Sensitivity, specificity, and coefficient of variance were calculated for each NCV study. RESULTS: The short-segment, onset latency-based transcarpal mixed NCV yielded the highest sensitivity (75%). CONCLUSIONS: Results from measurement of a single, short-nerve segment tended to be superior to results obtained by either long-segment studies or differential subtraction between 2 segments of the same nerve in the electrodiagnosis of CTS. Explanations for our results are offered from both electrophysiologic and statistical perspectives.

Changes in stroke rehabilitation outcomes after the implementation of Japan's long-term care insurance system: a hospital-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes in stroke rehabilitation outcomes after the introduction of Japan's long-term care insurance (LTCI) system. DESIGN: Stroke patients discharged during a 3-yr period before and after the implementation of LTCI were compared (before-LTCI vs. after-LTCI). Outcome measures included onset to admission interval, length of stay, and correlation between discharge site and functional level at discharge. RESULTS: A total of 201 patients in the before-LTCI group and 252 patients in the after-LTCI group were eligible for the study. Shorter mean length of stay (P < 0.01) and higher rates of discharge to a rehabilitation facility (P < 0.01) were found in the after-LTCI group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the patients with higher activities of daily living scores or ambulatory status at discharge were more likely to be discharged to home after inpatient rehabilitation in both groups (P < 0.01). The rate of discharge to home was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Within this rehabilitation hospital's experience, the mean length of stay was reduced after the implementation of the LTCI. Although it was one of the primary goals of the LTCI, the rate of discharge to home did not significantly increase. Further evaluation and modification of the LTCI and more efforts to improve a patient's activities of daily living and ambulatory status at discharge will be necessary to promote in-home care in Japan.

Electromyographic technique for lumbar multifidus examination: comparison of previous techniques used to localize the multifidus.

OBJECTIVES: To verify and compare established techniques for needle localization in the multifidus muscle and to explore more practical techniques. DESIGN: Human cadaver study. SETTING: Anatomy laboratory in a university setting. CADAVERS: Six fresh human cadavers. INTERVENTION: A 22-gauge needle was inserted into the multifidus muscle fascicle of 6 cadavers using 2 different techniques described previously in the electrodiagnostic literature by Haig and Stein and colleagues. A mixture of colored latex and contrast dyes (0.1 mL) was injected bilaterally into each fascicle at levels L1 to L5. Two electromyographers performed injections into 60 targeted muscles, affording 120 total insertions. Separate investigators dissected the muscles to determine dye position. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Not applicable. RESULTS: A total of 88 (73%) and 79 (66%) injections were successfully delivered to the targeted multifidus muscles using the Haig and the Stein techniques, respectively. With the Haig method, 22 injections (18%) were delivered to different superficial muscles. With the Stein method, 24 injections were delivered to a common tendon and 3 injections were delivered to the spinal canal. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the nonoptimizing accuracy of previous techniques for multifidus needle electromyography. A modified Haig method involving less acute needle angulation relative to the skin surface and closer insertion from the midline may increase accuracy and safety.

Influence of medical comorbidities and complications on FIM change and length of stay during inpatient rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the influence of medical problems on functional outcome measures of patients admitted for comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation. DESIGN: In this retrospective database review of patients, demographic information, length of stay, FIM scores at admission and discharge, and FIM efficiency were collected and analyzed. Preexisting comorbidities and acute medical complications of all patients were identified, tabulated, and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 175 patients were categorized into three major groups. In the postorthopedic surgery group, the presence of preexisting medical comorbidities did not significantly affect admission or discharge FIM scores. In contrast, traumatic brain injury patients with preexisting medical comorbidities had a tendency to be admitted and discharged with lower FIM scores. However, traumatic brain injury patients with acute medical complications still made reasonable functional improvement during their extended stay, so that their FIM efficiency was adequately maintained. In the cerebrovascular accident group, almost all patients had preexisting medical issues. CONCLUSIONS: The rehabilitation population is diverse, and functional outcome measures for distinct disease entities may be differentially affected by factors such as preexisting medical comorbidities and acute medical complications. Except for life-threatening medical emergencies, rehabilitation patients may benefit by staying on the acute rehabilitation unit, where both medical management and a comprehensive rehabilitation program are provided with continuity.

Rehabilitation of a patient with heat stroke: a case report.

The recent death of a famous football player raised public awareness of the fatal nature of heat stroke, which is actually the third leading cause of death among American athletes. We present a typical case of heat stroke to illustrate its clinical manifestation and recovery process; risk factors, treatment options, and the importance of prevention are also discussed. Although heat stroke is not a common admission diagnosis for inpatient rehabilitation, physiatrists need to be aware of its pathophysiology, rehabilitation management, and prevention.

Electrophysiologic abnormalities of auditory and visual information processing in patients with traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: Through both auditory and visual modalities, we sought to explore the efficacy of event-related potentials in detecting residual cognitive impairments in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Control subjects and TBI patients with favorable recovery were recruited. Pure tone and primary color discrimination tasks were utilized to elicit auditory and visual event-related potentials, respectively. All subjects were instructed to push a response button when they detected the target stimuli. Both behavioral and electrophysiologic responses were obtained simultaneously. We analyzed the event-related potential waveforms and examined the differences in amplitude, latency, behavioral reaction time, and response accuracy. RESULTS: A total of 11 TBI patients and 11 control subjects were tested. Results showed that (1) TBI patients had significantly lower P300 amplitude in both auditory (11.2 vs. 22. 7 microV) and visual (11.6 vs. 20.9 microV) domains, (2) TBI patients had significantly longer P300 latency in both auditory (355 vs. 294 msecs) and visual (376 vs. 341 msecs) modalities, and (3) although there was no significant difference in response accuracy (97.7%vs. 100%), reaction time for both auditory and visual tasks were significantly longer in TBI patients (auditory, 404 vs. 277 msecs; visual, 397 vs. 346 msecs). CONCLUSION: Although TBI patients with good recovery showed similar response accuracy when compared with control subjects, they demonstrated significantly poorer performance in both electrophysiologic and behavioral responses. Diminished amplitudes and prolonged latencies in P300 responses indicate impaired organization and categorization of incoming sensory information; prolonged behavioral reaction times suggest slowing in the response execution process. Clinical and theoretical implications and goals for continued research are discussed.

Brainstem auditory-evoked potentials as an objective tool for evaluating hearing dysfunction in traumatic brain injury.

Because of the violent nature of traumatic brain injury, traumatic brain injury patients are susceptible to various types of trauma involving the auditory system. We report a case of a 55-yr-old man who presented with communication problems after traumatic brain injury. Initial results from behavioral audiometry and Weber/Rinne tests were not reliable because of poor cooperation. He was transferred to our service for inpatient rehabilitation, where review of the initial head computed tomographic scan showed only left temporal bone fracture. Brainstem auditory-evoked potential was then performed to evaluate his hearing function. The results showed bilateral absence of auditory-evoked responses, which strongly suggested bilateral deafness. This finding led to a follow-up computed tomographic scan, with focus on bilateral temporal bones. A subtle transverse fracture of the right temporal bone was then detected, in addition to the left temporal bone fracture previously identified. Like children with hearing impairment, traumatic brain injury patients may not be able to verbalize their auditory deficits in a timely manner. If hearing loss is suspected in a patient who is unable to participate in traditional behavioral audiometric testing, brainstem auditory-evoked potential may be an option for evaluating hearing dysfunction.

Unilateral all ulnar hand including sensory without forearm communication.

The prevalence of "ulnar hand" is extremely rare. In the ulnar hand, all the intrinsic hand muscles are innervated exclusively by the ulnar nerve; however, all reported cases have been limited to ulnar motor innervation. We present a case that demonstrated exclusive unilateral ulnar motor and sensory innervation. Although the all ulnar hand is extremely rare, an awareness of this variation is essential for the correct interpretation of the findings on electrodiagnostic examination.