The Impact of Complementary and Integrative Medicine Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the evidence levels, study characteristics, and outcomes of nonpharmacologic complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) interventions in rehabilitation for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (OvidSP), PubMed (NLM), EMBASE ( Embase.com ), CINAHL (EBSCO), PsycINFO (OvidSP), Cochrane Library (Wiley), and National Guidelines Clearinghouse databases were evaluated using PRISMA guidelines. The protocol was registered in INPLASY (protocol registration: INPLASY202160071). DATA EXTRACTION: Quantitative studies published between 1992 and 2020 investigating the efficacy of CIM for individuals with TBI of any severity, age, and outcome were included. Special diets, herbal and dietary supplements, and counseling/psychological interventions were excluded, as were studies with mixed samples if TBI data could not be extracted. A 2-level review comprised title/abstract screening, followed by full-text assessment by 2 independent reviewers. DATA SYNTHESIS: In total, 90 studies were included, with 57 001 patients in total. This total includes 2 retrospective studies with 17 475 and 37 045 patients. Of the 90 studies, 18 (20%) were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The remainder included 20 quasi-experimental studies (2-group or 1-group pre/posttreatment comparison), 9 retrospective studies, 1 single-subject study design, 2 mixed-methods designs, and 40 case study/case reports. Guided by the American Academy of Neurology evidence levels, class II criteria were met by 61% of the RCTs. Included studies examined biofeedback/neurofeedback (40%), acupuncture (22%), yoga/tai chi (11%), meditation/mindfulness/relaxation (11%), and chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation (11%). The clinical outcomes evaluated across studies included physical impairments (62%), mental health (49%), cognitive impairments (39%), pain (31%), and activities of daily living/quality of life (28%). Additional descriptive statistics were summarized using narrative synthesis. Of the studies included for analyses, 97% reported overall positive benefits of CIM. CONCLUSION: Rigorous and well experimentally designed studies (including RCTs) are needed to confirm the initial evidence supporting the use of CIM found in the existing literature.

Inconsistent Classification of Mild Stroke and Implications on Health Services Delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a scoping review on classifications of mild stroke based on stroke severity assessments and/or clinical signs and symptoms reported in the literature. DATA SOURCES: Electronic searches of PubMed, PsycINFO (Ovid), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL-EBSCO) databases included keyword combinations of mild stroke, minor stroke, mini stroke, mild cerebrovascular, minor cerebrovascular, transient ischemic attack, or TIA. STUDY SELECTION: Inclusion criteria were limited to articles published between January 2003 and February 2018. Inclusion criteria included studies (1) with a definition of either mild or minor stroke, (2) written in English, and (3) with participants aged 18 years and older. Animal studies, reviews, dissertations, blogs, editorials, commentaries, case reports, newsletters, drug trials, and presentation abstracts were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION: Five reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently screened each full-text article for eligibility. The 5 reviewers checked the quality of the included full-text articles for accuracy. Data were extracted by 2 reviewers and verified by a third reviewer. DATA SYNTHESIS: Sixty-two studies were included in the final review. Ten unique definitions of mild stroke using stroke severity assessments were discovered, and 10 different cutoff points were used. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was the most widely used measure to classify stroke severity. Synthesis also revealed variations in classification of mild stroke across publication years, time since stroke, settings, and medical factors including imaging, medical indicators, and clinical signs and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Inconsistencies in the classification of mild stroke are evident with varying use of stroke severity assessments, measurement cutoff scores, imaging tools, and clinical or functional outcomes. Continued work is necessary to develop a consensus definition of mild stroke, which directly affects treatment receipt, referral for services, and health service delivery.

Stroke Survivors' Perspectives on Post-Acute Rehabilitation Options, Goals, Satisfaction, and Transition to Home.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients and caregivers have not typically been involved in the selection of a post-acute care (PAC) provider. In 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed the need to involve patients and their families during discharge planning. Engaging patients in rehabilitation decisions encourages shared decision making among patients and their clinicians. The purpose of this study was to examine stroke survivors' perspectives on their involvement in selecting a PAC provider and their goal setting and their satisfaction with the rehabilitation stay and their discharge advice for stroke survivors, prior to 2015. METHODS: This qualitative study utilized semistructured interviews. Thematic content analysis was performed on interviews involving 18 stroke survivors (mean age = 68 years) related to their involvement in planning for their inpatient rehabilitation facility or skilled nursing facility stay, goal setting, and discharge needs. RESULTS: More than half the participants were not involved in the selection of their PAC setting and believed that doctors made these decisions. Around two-fifths of stroke survivors reported that they were not involved in rehabilitation goal setting. Most patients were satisfied with their rehabilitation stay. When asked to recommend discharge topics for other stroke survivors, participants recommended additional information on health care services, interventions, and insurance coverage. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Despite recommendations to include stroke patients in PAC selection and goal setting, many former inpatient rehabilitation facility and skilled nursing facility patients report not being involved in either aspect of care.Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A273).

Preferences for Communicating about Breast Cancer Screening Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Older Women.

Differences exist across breast cancer screening guidelines regarding frequency of screening and age of discontinuation for older women (≥70 years) at average risk for breast cancer. These differences highlight concerns about the benefits and harms of screening, and may negatively impact older women's ability to make informed screening decisions. This study examined preferences for communicating about screening mammography among racially/ethnically diverse, older women. In-depth interviews were conducted with 59 women with no breast cancer history. Non-proportional quota sampling ensured roughly equal numbers on age (70-74 years, ≥75 years), race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic/Latina White, non-Hispanic/Latina Black, Hispanic/Latina), and education (≤high school diploma, >high school diploma). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using NVivo 10. Thematic analyses revealed that rather than being told to get mammograms, participants wanted to hear about the benefits and harms of screening mammography, including overdiagnosis. Participants recommended that this information be communicated via physicians or other healthcare providers, included in brochures/pamphlets, and presented outside of clinical settings (e.g., in senior groups). Results were consistent regardless of participants' age, race/ethnicity, or education. Findings revealed that older women desire information about the benefits and harms of screening mammography, and would prefer to learn this information through discussions with healthcare providers and multiple other formats.

Overview of pharmacological interventions after traumatic brain injuries: impact on selected outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an overview of systematic reviews (SRs) to appraise the published evidence related to pharmacological interventions after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Searches were conducted with Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed. 780 retrieved SRs underwent a two-level screening to determine inclusion. Data extracted included participant characteristics, TBI severity, study design, pharmacological interventions, and outcomes. SRs were assessed for methodological quality by using the AMSTAR measurement tool. After removing duplicates, 166/780 SRs published between 1990-2017 were reviewed, 62 of which met inclusion criteria. More than 90 drugs and 22 substance-classes were extracted. Most medications were administered during the acute stage. Mild TBI was included in 3% of the SRs. Physiological outcomes comprised 45% of the SRs, primarily mortality. Activities of daily living (ADLs) outcomes constituted 22% of the SRs followed by cognition (13%) and psychological/behavioral outcomes (13%). Only 7% of the SRs assessed adverse events. Inconsistencies in definitions, methods, and heterogeneity of instruments used to measure treatment response were noted. Only a third of the SRs had high methodological quality. Most SRs had heterogeneous TBI samples, outcomes, or methodologies making it difficult to synthesize findings into recommended guidelines. This study demonstrated a need for adequately powered and rigorous randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to provide generalizable evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacologic interventions for TBI. PROSPERO Registration: CRD42015017355.

Lived experiences of chronic cognitive and mood symptoms among community-dwelling adults following stroke: a mixed-methods analysis.

Objectives: Few studies have explored the lived experiences of chronic cognitive and mood symptoms following stroke using a racially/ethnically diverse sample. Therefore, we aimed to explore the perceptions of chronic post-stroke cognition and mood symptoms and goals among a racially/ethnically diverse sample of community-dwelling adults aging with stroke. Method: This qualitative study using mixed-methods analysis included semi-structured interviews regarding perceived post-stroke cognitive and mood symptoms among community-dwelling stroke survivors at least one-year post stroke. Transcripts were subjected to thematic content analysis, and differences in theme usage patterns by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and post-acute rehabilitation setting were assessed using an inferential clustering technique. Results: The majority of participants (93%) reported cognition-related themes, including language and communication, memory, thinking abilities, comprehension, visual-spatial processing, and cognitive assessments and training. Nearly half of participants mentioned mood-related themes, including depression, aggression and anger, mood fluctuations, anxiety, and psychological services and medication. Nearly half reported an unmet need for cognition or mood-related treatment. Inferential clustering analysis revealed that older participants reported a different pattern of cognitive and mood symptoms than those aged younger than 65 (p = 0.02). Older adults were more likely to describe post-stroke language/communication changes, while younger adults described post-stroke mood changes. Conclusion: Stroke survivors experienced cognitive and mood-related symptoms beyond one-year post stroke, which has implications for long-term assessment and management. Incorporation of continued symptom monitoring into existing community-based services is needed to address chronic cognitive and mood symptoms affecting the quality of life of persons with stroke.

Experiences and Needs of Older Adults Following Hurricane Ike: A Pilot Study of Long-Term Consequences.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the experiences and needs of older adults during and following Hurricane Ike. METHOD: Two focus group interviews were conducted among older adults who lived in or around Galveston Island before Hurricane Ike. Nine older adults (six women and three men) participated in two focus group sessions. These qualitative interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic content analyses. RESULTS: The findings of this study reveal the need for continuity in health care services, medications, psychological support, social and family support, community-level services, and information among older adults. CONCLUSIONS: The contribution of factors such as health care continuity and psychological support reinforces the importance of specific postdisaster resources to meet the needs of older adults following hurricanes. These results suggest the importance of designing hurricane preparedness guidelines specifically for older adults.

Measurement Validity of the Low Vision Independence Measure (LVIM).

OBJECTIVE: This study's objective was to test the psychometrics of Smith's (2013) Low Vision Independence Measure (LVIM) using the Rasch model. METHOD: A cohort design was used with 93 participants receiving occupational therapy for low vision. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with a parceling approach was used to test the LVIM factors and Rasch analysis to examine item-level psychometrics. RESULTS: Participants' average age was 78.9 yr (standard deviation = 12.1), and the majority were female (72.8%) with macular degeneration (62.3%). The CFA revealed two measurement factors: visual field or scotoma (n = 28) and visual acuity (n = 24). We removed six misfitting items, and the two factors of the revised LVIM demonstrated good rating scale function, good internal consistency (person reliability: visual field, .87; visual acuity, .90), good precision (person strata: visual field, 3.91; visual acuity, 4.40), no ceiling or floor effects, and no differential item functioning. CONCLUSION: The revised LVIM demonstrates good psychometrics on the Rasch model and can be used as a valid outcome measure in low vision rehabilitation.

Resistance to discontinuing breast cancer screening in older women: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Screening mammography is associated with reduced breast cancer-specific mortality; however, among older women, evidence suggests that the potential harms of screening may outweigh the benefits. We used a qualitative approach to examine the willingness of older women from different racial/ethnic groups to discontinue breast cancer screening. METHODS: Women ≥70 years of age who reported having a screening mammogram in the past 3 years and/or reported that they intended to continue screening in the future were recruited for in-depth interviews. Participants who intended to continue screening were asked to describe how the following hypothetical scenarios would impact a decision to discontinue screening: health concerns or limited life expectancy, a physician's recommendation to discontinue, reluctance to undergo treatment, and recommendations from experts or governmental panels to stop screening. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were audio-recorded. Data coding and analysis followed inductive and deductive approaches. RESULTS: Regardless of the scenario, participants (n = 29) expressed a strong intention to continue screening. Based on the hypothetical physician recommendations, intentions to continue screening appeared to remain strong. They did not envision a change in their health status that would lead them to discontinue screening and were skeptical of expert/government recommendations. There were no differences observed according to age, race/ethnicity, or education. CONCLUSIONS: Among older women who planned to continue screening, intentions to continue breast cancer screening appear to be highly resilient and resistant to recommendations from physicians or expert/government panels.

Impact of Multiple Chronic Conditions on Activity Limitations Among Older Mexican-American Care Recipients.

INTRODUCTION: Older Mexican Americans are living longer with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs). This has placed greater demands on caregivers to assist with basic activities of daily living (ADL) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). To understand the needs of older Mexican-American care recipients, we examined the impact of MCC on ADL and IADL limitations. METHODS: We analyzed data from 485 Mexican American care-receiving/caregiving dyads. Selected MCCs in the analysis were diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, arthritis, emphysema/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cognitive impairment, depression, and cancer. Care recipients were dichotomized as having 3 or more conditions or as having 2 or fewer conditions. Three comorbidity clusters were established on the basis of the most prevalent health conditions among participants with comorbid arthritis and hypertension. These clusters included arthritis and hypertension plus: diabetes (cluster 1), cognitive impairment (cluster 2), and heart disease (cluster 3). RESULTS: Care recipients with 3 or more chronic conditions (n = 314) had higher odds of having mobility limitations (OR = 1.98; 95% CI, 1.34-2.94), self-care limitations (OR = 2.53; 95% CI, 1.70-3.81), >3 ADL limitations (OR = 2.00; 95% CI, 1.28-3.17), and >3 IADL limitations (OR = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.26-2.81). All clusters had increased odds of ADL and severe ADL limitations. Of care recipients in cluster 2, those with arthritis, hypertension, and cognitive impairment had significantly higher odds of mobility limitations (OR = 2.33; 95% CI, 1.05-5.24) than those with just arthritis and hypertension. CONCLUSION: MCCs were associated with more ADL and IADL limitations among care recipients, especially for those with hypertension and arthritis plus diabetes, cognitive impairment, or heart disease. These findings can assist in developing programs to meet the needs of older Mexican-American care recipients.

Inflammatory Mediators Associated With Pressure Ulcer Development in Individuals With Pneumonia After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the inflammatory mediators around the time of pneumonia onset associated with concurrent or later onset of pressure ulcers (PUs). DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Acute hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation unit of a university medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (N=86) with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) were included in the initial analyses. Fifteen of the 86 developed pneumonia and had inflammatory mediator data available. Of these 15, 7 developed PUs and 8 did not. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Twenty-three inflammatory mediators in plasma and urine were assayed. The differences in concentrations of plasma and urine inflammatory mediators between the closest time point before and after the diagnosis of pneumonia were calculated. RESULTS: Initial chi-square analysis revealed a significant (P=.02) association between pneumonia and PUs. Individuals with SCI and diagnosed pneumonia had nearly double the risk for developing PUs compared with those with no pneumonia. In individuals with pneumonia, Mann-Whitney U exact tests suggested an association (P<.05) between the formation of a first PU and a slight increase in plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and a decrease in urine concentrations of TNF-α, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and interleukin (IL)-15 after onset of pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a relatively small increase in plasma TNF-α, and decreases in urine TNF-α, GM-CSF, and IL-15 from just before to just after the diagnosis of pneumonia could be markers for an increased risk of PUs in individuals with pneumonia after traumatic SCI.

A Computational, Tissue-Realistic Model of Pressure Ulcer Formation in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are predisposed to pressure ulcers (PU). PU remain a significant burden in cost of care and quality of life despite improved mechanistic understanding and advanced interventions. An agent-based model (ABM) of ischemia/reperfusion-induced inflammation and PU (the PUABM) was created, calibrated to serial images of post-SCI PU, and used to investigate potential treatments in silico. Tissue-level features of the PUABM recapitulated visual patterns of ulcer formation in individuals with SCI. These morphological features, along with simulated cell counts and mediator concentrations, suggested that the influence of inflammatory dynamics caused simulations to be committed to "better" vs. "worse" outcomes by 4 days of simulated time and prior to ulcer formation. Sensitivity analysis of model parameters suggested that increasing oxygen availability would reduce PU incidence. Using the PUABM, in silico trials of anti-inflammatory treatments such as corticosteroids and a neutralizing antibody targeted at Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern molecules (DAMPs) suggested that, at best, early application at a sufficiently high dose could attenuate local inflammation and reduce pressure-associated tissue damage, but could not reduce PU incidence. The PUABM thus shows promise as an adjunct for mechanistic understanding, diagnosis, and design of therapies in the setting of PU.

Early Detection of Pressure Ulcer Development Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Using Inflammatory Mediators.

OBJECTIVE: To identify changes in concentrations of inflammatory mediators in plasma and urine after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and before the occurrence of a first pressure ulcer. DESIGN: Retrospective; secondary analysis of existing data. SETTING: Acute hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation sites at a university medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with a pressure ulcer and plasma samples (n=17) and individuals with a pressure ulcer and urine samples (n=15) were matched by age and plasma/urine sample days to individuals with SCI and no pressure ulcer (N=35). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma and urine samples were assayed in patients with SCI, capturing samples within 4 days after the SCI to a week before the formation of the first pressure ulcer. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to identify changes in the inflammatory mediators between the 2 time points. RESULTS: An increase in concentration of the chemokine interferon-γ-induced protein of 10kd/CXCL10 in plasma (P<.01) and a decrease in concentration of the cytokine interferon-α in urine (P=.01) were observed before occurrence of a first pressure ulcer (∼4d) compared with matched controls. CONCLUSIONS: Altered levels of inflammatory mediators in plasma and urine may be associated with pressure ulcer development after traumatic SCI. These inflammatory mediators should be explored as possible biomarkers for identifying individuals at risk for pressure ulcer formation.

Smart functional nucleic acid chimeras: enabling tissue specific RNA targeting therapy.

A major obstacle for effective utilization of therapeutic oligonucleotides such as siRNA, antisense, antimiRs etc. is to deliver them specifically to the target tissues. Toward this goal, nucleic acid aptamers are re-emerging as a prominent class of biomolecules capable of delivering target specific therapy and therapeutic monitoring by various molecular imaging modalities. This class of short oligonucleotide ligands with high affinity and specificity are selected from a large nucleic acid pool against a molecular target of choice. Poor cellular uptake of therapeutic oligonucleotides impedes gene-targeting efficacy in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, aptamer-oligonucleotide chimeras have shown the capacity to deliver siRNA, antimiRs, small molecule drugs etc. toward various targets and showed very promising results in various studies on different diseases models. However, to further improve the bio-stability of such chimeric conjugates, it is important to introduce chemically-modified nucleic acid analogs. In this review, we highlight the applications of nucleic acid aptamers for target specific delivery of therapeutic oligonucleotides.

Physical and Psychological Burden among Caregivers of Latinx Older Adults with Stroke and Multimorbidity.

Objective: To investigate the association between Latinx older adults' stroke, multimorbidity, and caregiver burden. Methods: For this retrospective cohort study, we used the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE) Wave-7 data set. The caregiver's physical burden was defined by using the Level of Burden Index. The caregiver's psychological burden was measured by using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4). Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of 3 or more chronic conditions. Results: The average age of the Latinx adults was 86 years, and the caregivers were 56 years. Latinx older adults and caregivers were more likely to be females (66% and 75%). Most caregivers were children (71%). Twelve percent of Latinx older adults presented with stroke, and 50% presented with multimorbidity. Caregiver physical burden was stratified into 3 levels: low (43%), medium (17%), and high (40%) burden. The cumulative logit model revealed that caregivers caring for those with stroke or multimorbidity had a high physical burden. Family caregivers and caregivers with a higher household income had a low physical burden. Caregivers with multimorbidity had a higher psychological burden. Caregivers who were interviewed in Spanish and those with higher household incomes had decreased psychological burden. Conclusion: This study revealed that caregivers had a higher physical burden among caregivers of Latinx adults with stroke or multimorbidity. Future studies must investigate the relationship between Latinx adults' stroke and caregiver psychological health, and build culturally tailored policies and community interventions to support caregivers susceptible to high stress and burden.

Assessing Racial Effects on Adjudicative Competence.

As racial influences on forensic outcomes are identified in every aspect of practice, scholars are exploring methods to disentangle race from its historical, economic, and attitudinal antecedents. Because jurisdictions vary in these influences, definitions and data may differ among them, creating inconsistencies in analysis and policy. This retrospective database review compared differences in racial outcomes among 200 pretrial defendants, 160 Black and 40 White, exploring a wide range of socioeconomic, clinical, and forensic influences before, during, and after hospitalization. Because of the tight relationship of socioeconomic factors and race, investigators hypothesized that it would be difficult to distinguish racial influences alone. Using a confirmatory approach to data collection and a statistical analysis based in logistic regression, only differences in referral for psychological testing were identified. Application of this method based on local demographics and culture may prove useful for institutions interested in evaluating racial influences on forensic outcomes.

Perceptions of stroke survivors regarding factors affecting adoption of technology and exergames for rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Task-specific motor training and repetitive practice are essential components of clinical rehabilitation. Emerging evidence suggests that incorporating gaming interfaces (also referred to as "exergames"), including virtual reality and augmented reality (VR/AR)-based interfaces for motor training, can enhance the engagement and efficacy of poststroke rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate perceptions of individuals with stroke regarding technology and exergames for rehabilitation. DESIGN: This qualitative phenomenological study included a convenience sample of 11 individuals with stroke (61.7 ± 12.4 years, 6 women and 5 men, 63.5 ± 41.2 months post stroke). SETTING: Community. INTERVENTIONS: N/A. OUTCOME MEASURES: Semistructured open-ended focus-group interviews to understand their perceptions on technology and exergames to improve recovery were coded using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Individuals with stroke were comfortable using smartphones, computers, and rehabilitation technologies but had limited experiences using exergames and VR/AR devices. Individuals with stroke were motivated to use technologies and exergames to improve their functional recovery. Participants identified facilitators (eg, enhancing functional recovery, feedback, therapist supervision) and barriers (eg, safety, inaccessibility, inadequate knowledge) to adopting exergames in their daily lives. Participants wanted the exergames to be customizable, goal oriented, and enjoyable to maintain their engagement. They were willing to use exergames to improve their functional recovery but indicated that these games could not replace the therapist's supervision. CONCLUSIONS: Despite having limited experiences with exergames, people post stroke perceived that exergames could promote functional recovery. The perspectives gained from the present study can inform user-centered game design for neurorehabilitation.