Microclimate evaluation of strap-based wheelchair seating systems for persons with spinal cord injury: A pilot study.

STUDY PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess microclimate characteristics of two versions of a strap-based wheelchair seating system (perforated and solid straps) and to conduct preliminary microclimate comparisons of subjects' current wheelchair seating systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this pilot study, the microclimate properties of two variations (solid and perforated) of a strap-based seating system were compared with two commonly used seating systems. Six subjects sat on three different seating systems each for 100-min test periods, while temperature and relative humidity were measured with a single sensor adjacent to the skin-seat interface. Additionally, thermal images of the seat interface were collected before and after each test period. RESULTS: The thermal images revealed that the maximum surface temperature of the solid-strap-based seating system was significantly lower than the other seating systems, -1.21 °C. (95% CI -2.11 to -0.30, p = 0.02), immediately following transfer out of the seat. Five minutes after transferring out of the seat, the perforated-strap seat was significantly cooler than the other seats -0.94 °C. (95% CI -1.59 to -0.30), p = 0.01, as was the solid-strap-based seat, -1.66 °C. (95% CI -2.69 to -0.63), p = 0.01. There were no significant differences in interface temperature or relative humidity measured with the single sensor near the skin-seat interface. CONCLUSION: This pilot study offers preliminary evidence regarding the microclimate of the strap-based seating systems compared with other common seating systems. Clinically, the strap-based seating system may offer another option for those who struggle with microclimate management.

A novel ergonomic wheelchair reduces bacterial hand contamination.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether bacterial contamination of rider's hands is less with a novel ergonomic wheelchair (EW) than a standard wheelchair (SW). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: After wheelchair hand rims were disinfected, volunteers wearing nitrile gloves propelled each wheelchair through a standardised "run" in hospital. Post-run cultures were obtained from riders' gloved hands. Bacterial hand counts were compared between runs matched by rider (same rider, different chairs) or time (different riders in each chair, running concurrently), and overall. SETTING: Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System (MVAHCS), a large tertiary care facility. PARTICIPANTS: Eleven employee volunteers. INTERVENTION: EW, as compared with SW. With SW, co-location of hand rims and tyres potentially exposes the user's hands to tyres, which risks contaminating the user's hands with ground-source bacteria. Our novel ergonomic wheelchair (EW) separates drive wheel and hand rims, potentially reducing hand contamination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Bacterial hand counts. RESULTS: Post-run bacterial hand counts were over 10-fold lower with the EW than the SW. This was true (i) when the same rider tested both chairs sequentially (n = 8 pairs) (median counts, 40 vs. 1030; p = 0.008), (ii) when different riders tested the two chairs concurrently (n = 9 pairs) (median counts, 40 vs. 660; p = 0.004), and (iii) overall (median counts, 40 [n = 9 runs] vs. 550 [n = 10 runs]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Separation of wheelchair hand rims from tyres significantly reduces bacterial hand contamination. Reduced hand contamination could decrease bacterial infections and dissemination of resistant bacteria, warranting further study.Implications for rehabilitationThe novel design of the ergonomic wheelchair, removing the push rim from proximity to the wheelchair tyre, keeps the hands of wheelchair users cleaner.The re-design of the standard manual wheelchair was implemented initially to improve shoulder ergonomics during manual wheelchair propulsion and has the added benefit of reduction in the transfer of bacteria from floors to hands for manual wheelchair users.Since the ergonomic wheelchair has the potential to decrease rates of bacterial infection in manual wheelchair users, further testing is warranted.

Effect of exercise on disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in adults with traumatic spinal cord injury: systematic review of the evidence.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders may affect adults with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) differently than able-bodied individuals because of reduced physical activity in the SCI population. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to determine the effectiveness of exercise to improve carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders in adults with chronic SCI. METHODS: Studies were identified in MEDLINE (1996-2008), Cochrane Library, bibliographies of identified articles, and expert recommendations. English language articles were included if they evaluated adults with chronic SCI; evaluated exercise; and reported carbohydrate-, lipid-, and/or cardiovascular disease-related outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria, including 15 intervention case-series and 7 cross-sectional surveys using self-reported physical activity measures. Intervention protocols involved active (n=7) or electrically stimulated (n=7) exercise or an educational program (n ) from 8 to 52 weeks in duration. Frequency of exercise was typically 2 to 3 sessions/week, lasting 30 to 60 minutes/session. Totals of 150 and 369 subjects participated in studies with carbohydrate (n=12) or lipid and cardiovascular (n=16) outcomes, respectively; 78% were men. Level of SCI ranged from C4 to L5 and included both incomplete and complete lesions. Outcomes measures included fasting and postload blood glucose and insulin concentrations and serum cholesterol levels. Small sample sizes and variations in study design, intervention, SCI characteristics, and reported outcomes precluded quantitative pooling of results or reliable assessment of metabolic efficacy. No intervention studies assessed cardiovascular outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence is insufficient to determine whether exercise improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders among adults with SCI. Expert consensus, based on the preliminary evidence, is needed to inform future studies.

Autonomic dysreflexia in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Although autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is well documented in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population, its occurrence in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) is not. A dense multiple sclerotic lesion in the spinal cord at or above the sixth thoracic level can cause interruption of descending inhibitory impulses and thus result in AD. A patient with MS presented to our facility with classic signs and symptoms of AD. We believe that lack of knowledge about the risks for this condition in MS led to a delay in diagnosis. METHODS: Case report illustrates AD in a person with MS. A convenience survey was conducted among clinicians who provide care to people with MS. The survey looked at both awareness of, and experience with, AD in MS. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of the respondents indicated they were not aware of the potential risk for AD among MS patients. Only 10% indicated they were aware of MS patients in their practice who had experienced AD. CONCLUSION: Although AD is probably less common in MS than in SCI, this case does not appear to be unique. Knowledge of this potential life-threatening complication of MS seems to be limited.

Pilot study of strap-based custom wheelchair seating system in persons with spinal cord injury.

Custom wheelchair seats can be used to help prevent pressure ulcers in individuals with spinal cord injury. In this study, a strap-based system was evaluated in three Veterans with spinal cord injury. Interface pressure distributions were measured after transfers, wheeling, and pressure relief maneuvers and after fittings by three different therapists. We found that pressure distribution measures were not generally affected after transfers and wheeling using the strap-based wheelchair and that pressure relief maneuvers were able to be performed. Additionally, all therapists were able to customize the wheelchair seat to clinically acceptable levels in 4 to 40 min for the three subjects. Future studies can test the long-term effects of using the strap-based wheelchair seat and identifying individuals that would most benefit from a rapidly customizable wheelchair seat.

Carbohydrate and lipid disorders and relevant considerations in persons with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of carbohydrate and lipid disorders in adults with chronic spinal cord injury and evaluate their risk contribution to cardiovascular diseases and the potential impact of exercise and pharmacologic and dietary therapies to alter these disorders and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Database and Web sites of the American Spinal Injury Association, American Paraplegia Society, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Consortium of Spinal Cord Medicine, and WorldCat through August 2007. REVIEW METHODS: English language observational studies addressing prevalence of carbohydrate and lipid disorders were included if they evaluated at least 100 adults with chronic spinal cord injury or a total of 100 subjects if using a control group. Epidemiologic investigations of more than 50 adults with spinal cord injury that were published in English after 1990 and reported cardiovascular morbidity and mortality were abstracted. Intervention studies from 1996-2007 were included regardless of design or size if they assessed exercise, diet, or pharmacologic therapies and reported carbohydrate, lipid, or cardiovascular outcomes. RESULTS: The quality of evidence regarding the prevalence, impact, and outcomes of carbohydrate and lipid disorders in adults with chronic spinal cord injuries is weak. Evidence is limited by relatively few studies, small sample size, lack of appropriate control groups, failure to adjust for known confounding variables, and variation in reported outcomes. However, the existing evidence does not indicate that adults with spinal cord injuries are at markedly greater risk for carbohydrate and lipid disorders or subsequent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than able-bodied adults. Body mass index is not reliable for assessing body composition, especially percent body fat, in adults with spinal cord injury. There are no high quality studies evaluating the impact of exercise, diet, or pharmacologic therapies on these disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence does not support incorporating SCI status as an independent variable to assess risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality or to alter diagnostic/treatment thresholds compared to able-bodied adults. Furthermore, individuals with SCI may have unique physiologic differences compared to able-bodied individuals. As a result, it is uncertain that findings from studies conducted in able-bodied adults evaluating efficacy and harms of interventions to improve carbohydrate, lipid disorders, and subsequent CVD can be extrapolated to individuals with SCI. The role of exercise in individuals with spinal cord injuries represents a unique challenge and requires further exploration into the benefits, harms, and resource implications of broad-based spinal cord injury exercise programs.