A national cross-sectional survey on community spinal cord injury individuals profiles, health-related quality of life and support services in China: implications for healthcare and rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in severe, permanent functional changes and has become a global health priority due to its high incidence, cost, and disability rate. Current national epidemiological data on SCI in China are limited and outdated. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive, national cross-sectional investigation of SCI epidemiology in China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 3055 SCI participants aged 8 to 78 years, conducted from May to September 2023. Data collected encompassed demographic characteristics, employment status, etiology, years lived with disability (YLD), family structure, caregiving status, income, health insurance, paralysis type, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Descriptive statistics analyses were used to assess demographic and injury characteristics. Group differences were assessed using t-tests, one-way ANOVA and Chi-square tests. Significant factors were examined using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: The majority (88.9%) of respondents were aged 15 to 59 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.36:1. Car accidents caused 45.4% of tetraplegia cases, falls caused 35.9% of paraplegia cases, and myelitis was the leading cause of non-traumatic SCI. Among paraplegia participants, 65.5% had complete SCI, while 53.1% of tetraplegia participants had incomplete SCI. Functional improvement was reported by 9.58% of participants. Half (50.3%) of the respondents were unemployed, and 75% had incomes below the national average. HRQoL was significantly lower in the SCI population compared to controls, mainly influenced by injury site, income, age and etiology (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SCI participants in China exhibit low HRQoL and reemployment rates. Accessible community and vocational rehabilitation programs, alongside robust public medical services, are essential for enhancing reemployment and HRQoL among SCI participants, reducing the overall disease burden.

Effect of aerobic exercise program on neuropathic pain and quality of life in person with paraplegia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) often suffer from neuropathic pain which is often disabling and negatively affects function, participation, and quality of life (QoL). Pharmacological treatments lack efficacy in neuropathic pain reduction hence studying alternatives to drug treatment is necessary. Preclinical evidence of various aerobic exercises has shown positive effects on neuropathic pain but scientific studies investigating its effect in the SCI human population are limited. METHODOLOGY: This study is a double-blind, parallel, two-group, randomized controlled trial with an interventional study design that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic exercise program on neuropathic pain and quality of life (QoL) in individuals with chronic paraplegia. Thirty individuals with chronic paraplegia with the neurological level of injury from T2 to L2 will be recruited from the rehabilitation department at a super specialty hospital based on the inclusion criteria. Using a 1:1 allocation ratio, the participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The intervention group will perform high-intensity interval training (HIIT) aerobic exercise using an arm ergometer based on their peak heart rate, and the control group will perform free-hand arm aerobic exercise. In both groups, the intervention will be delivered as 30-min sessions, four times a week for 6 weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: International Spinal Cord Injury Pain Basic Data Set Version 3.0 will be used for diagnosing and assessing neuropathic pain and its interference with day-to-day activities, mood, and sleep. The International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) QoL basic data set will be used to assess QoL, and 6-min push test distance will be used to assess peak heart rate and aerobic capacity. DISCUSSION: The effectiveness of the aerobic exercise program will be assessed based on the changes in neuropathic pain score and its interference with day-to-day activities, mood, sleep, QoL, and aerobic capacity after 3 weeks mid-intervention and after 6 weeks post-intervention. The trial will provide new knowledge about the effectiveness of the aerobic exercise program in improving neuropathic pain and QoL in individuals with chronic paraplegia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials Registry-India CTRI/2023/08/056257. Registered on 8 August 2023.

Virtual walking therapy in neuropathic spinal cord injury pain: a feasibility study.

STUDY DESIGN: A feasibility study. OBJECTIVES: Chronic neuropathic pain is a prevalent comorbidity in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), and current medical treatments remain unsatisfactory. New developments as virtual walking are emerging which has been established and further developed at our centre. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of our virtual walking setup in a small group of SCI patients. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Swiss Paraplegic Centre in Nottwil, Switzerland. METHODS: Four patients aged 22 to 60 years were observed during and after therapy. Three had complete paraplegia (levels Th4-Th8) with neuropathic at- and below-level pain, while one had incomplete paraplegia (Th10) with at-level pain. The primary outcome measured was satisfaction with acceptance of and adherence to virtual walking therapy, alongside suggestions for therapy improvements. Additionally, patients kept a pain diary and pain drawings to measure the extent of pain distribution and intensity before and after therapy. Therapy schedules included either two sessions per week for five weeks or five sessions per week for two weeks. RESULTS: There was a sound satisfaction and good acceptance amongst participants. Support, duration, and number of sessions were perceived well and acceptable. Pain as a secondary outcome did not change during or after therapy in all but one patient which improved in pain intensity, pain quality as well as pain distribution. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that our virtual walking setting is a feasible tool that should be further studied in patients with SCI-related chronic neuropathic pain.

Effect of magnetic therapy in bladder dysfunction and quality of life in paraplegic patients.

BACKGROUND: Urinary dysfunction is linked to spinal cord injury (SCI). The quality of life (QoL) declines in both neurogenic bladder impairment and non-disordered patients. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the effectiveness of pulsed magnetic therapy on urinary impairment and QoL in individuals with traumatic incomplete SCI. METHODS: This study included forty male paraplegic subjects with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) for more than one year following incomplete SCI between T6-T12. Their ages ranged from 20 to 35 and they engaged in therapy for three months. The subjects were divided into two groups of equal size. Individuals in Group I were managed via pulsed magnetic therapy once per week plus pelvic floor training three times a week. Individuals in Group II were managed with only three times a week for pelvic floor training. All patients were examined for bladder cystometric investigations, pelvic-floor electromyography (EMG), and SF-Qualiveen questionnaire. RESULTS: There was a noteworthy increment in individuals in Group I in volume of bladder at first desire to void and maximum cystometric capacity, detrusor pressure at Qmax, and maximum flow rate. There was a momentous increment in Group I in measures of evaluation of EMG biofeedback. There was a notable rise in Group I in SF-Qualiveen questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Magnetic stimulation should be favored as beneficial adjunct to traditional therapy in the management of bladder impairment and enhancing QoL in individuals with SCI.

High intensity functional training for people with spinal cord injury & their care partners.

STUDY DESIGN: Non-randomized clinical trial. OBJECTIVES: Examine the feasibility, physical and psychosocial effects of a high intensity functional training (HIFT) exercise program for people with spinal cord injury (pSCI) and their care partners (CPs). SETTING: Community fitness center in a Medically Underserved Area (Fort Smith, USA.) METHODS: A single-group design with three assessment points (before the program, at midpoint (13 weeks), and post-program (25 weeks) was used to examine the effects of up to 49 HIFT sessions over 25-weeks. Sessions were 60 to 75 min in duration and adapted to the abilities of participants. Feasibility measures included recruitment, retention, attendance, safety and fidelity (exercise intensity rated via session-Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). Physical measures included cardiovascular endurance, anaerobic power, and muscular strength. Psychosocial measures included perceived social support for exercise, exercise self-efficacy and health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Fourteen pSCI (7 with paraplegia and 7 with tetraplegia, 2 females) and 6 CPs (4 females) were included (median age = 60) (IQR = 15.8). Recruitment rates were 40% for pSCI and 32% for CPs. On average, participants attended 73% (22%) of exercise sessions with a median session-RPE of 5 (IQR = 1). Retention rates were 83% and 67% for pSCI and CPs, respectively. For pSCI and their CPs, large effect sizes were observed for cardiovascular endurance, anaerobic power, muscular strength, and social support for exercise. CONCLUSIONS: For pSCI and their CPs, HIFT appears feasible and potentially leads to improvements in physical and psychosocial health for both groups.

Treatment of ZC4H2 Variant-Associated Spastic Paraplegia with Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy and Intensive Postoperative Rehabilitation: A Case Report.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) has been used to treat children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP), and its beneficial effect on quality of life and ambulation has been confirmed in long-term follow-up studies. However, the role of SDR in the treatment of spasticity in patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and related disorders is not well-established. Here, we report the first patient with the ZC4H2 variant who underwent SDR to treat spastic paraplegia. Abnormal gait was discovered during a regular checkup at the age of 3 years and 9 months, and she was diagnosed with spastic paraplegia. She was heterozygous for the ZC4H2 variant and underwent SDR at the age of 5 years and 11 months, which alleviated the spasticity. The patient underwent inpatient postoperative rehabilitation for 4 months and continued outpatient physiotherapy after discharge. The Gross Motor Function Measure-88 score and maximum walking speed decreased transiently 1 month postoperatively, but gradually recovered, and continuously improved 6 months postoperatively. SDR and postoperative intensive rehabilitation were effective in improving motor and walking functions up to 6 months after surgery, although long-term follow-up is needed to draw conclusions.

Hospital Course and Complications of Subaxial Cervical Trauma Patients With Tetraplegia or Paraplegia: A Case Series and Literature Review.

STUDY DESIGN: A single-institution, retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to present demographic characteristics, mechanism of injuries, lengths of stay, intensive care unit (ICU) days, discharge locations, and causes of 90-day readmission for patients with subaxial spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia or tetraplegia. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia or tetraplegia are rare injuries with debilitating outcomes. Numerous advances have occurred in caring for these patients, but patients still experience multiple complications. The severity of these injuries and numerous complications result in prolonged hospital stays and the need for extensive rehabilitation. METHODS: Twelve patients with subaxial spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia or tetraplegia from a level 1 adult trauma center were reviewed. The primary outcomes included hospital length of stay, ICU days, intrahospital complications, 90-day readmission rates, and discharge location. We reviewed the literature for these outcomes in spinal cord injuries. RESULTS: For patients with subaxial spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia and tetraplegia, the average age was 36.0 years, and most were male [91.7% (11/12)]. The most common mechanism of injury was gunshot wounds[41.7% (5/12)]. Patients spent an average of 46.3 days in the hospital and 30.7 days in the ICU. Respiratory complications were the most common (9 patients). Fifty percent of patients (6/12) were discharged to the inpatient spinal cord rehab center, and 16.7% (2/12) expired while in the hospital. Two patients (20.0%) were readmitted within 90 days of discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with subaxial spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia or tetraplegia were young males with high-energy traumas. Many patients had intrahospital complications, and most were discharged to the hospital spinal rehab center. These findings likely stem from the severity of paraplegia and tetraplegia injuries and the need for rehabilitation.

Feasibility, safety, and functional outcomes using the neurological controlled Hybrid Assistive Limb exoskeleton (HAL®) following acute incomplete and complete spinal cord injury - Results of 50 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies reveal that Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL®) locomotion training in paraplegic patients suffering from chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) induces improvements in functional and ambulatory mobility. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety, feasibility, and functional effectiveness of HAL® locomotion training in the initial rehabilitation of acute SCI patients. This clinical trial represents the first systematic intervention worldwide for acute SCI patients using a neurologically controlled exoskeleton. DESIGN: Single center, prospective study. SETTING: BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty acute SCI patients (14 women, 36 men). INTERVENTIONS: All participants received a daily (5 times/week) HAL® exoskeleton supported training for 12 weeks (mean amount of training sessions 60.4 ± 30.08). OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional outcome for overground walking was monitored using the 10-m-walk test (10 MWT) combined with the WISCI II score, 6-minute-walk test (6 MWT) and the timed-up and go test (TUG test). Treadmill-related parameters (speed, distance and walking time) and the Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS) were recorded separately. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed for HAL®-associated (walking time, distance and speed) and for functional outcomes (10 MWT, 6 MWT and TUG-test). WISCI-II-Score and the LEMS increased significantly compared with the status prior to training. CONCLUSION: HAL® locomotion training is feasible and safe in the rehabilitation of acute SCI patients. The HAL® exoskeleton enables the patient to perform effective treadmill training and leads to improvements in functional and ambulatory mobility. However, spontaneous recovery vs training-related effects remain unclear and findings should not be extrapolated beyond the acute in-patient rehabilitation setting.Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register identifier: DRKS00010250..

Falls During Inpatient Rehabilitation After Spinal Cord Injury: Characterization, Clock-Hour Visualization, and Time to Event Predictors.

OBJECTIVES: To (1) determine fall characteristics (eg, cause, location, witnesses) of inpatients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and whether they were different for ambulatory persons vs wheelchair users; (2) visualize the total number of daily falls per clock-hour for different inpatients' features (eg, cause of injury, age); (3) compare clinical and demographic characteristics of inpatients who experienced a first fall event vs inpatients who did not experience such event; and (4) identify first fall event predictors. DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Institution for inpatient neurologic rehabilitation. PARTICIPANTS: Persons with SCI (N=1294) admitted to a rehabilitation facility between 2005 and 2022. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional independence measure (FIM), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS), and Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) at admission. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used. RESULTS: A total of 502 fall events were experienced by 369 ambulatory inpatients (19.8%) and wheelchair users (80.2%) in 63.9% of cases being alone, with cause, situation, and location significantly different in both groups. Clock-hour visualizations revealed an absolute peak at 12 AM (complete or incomplete injuries, with paraplegia or tetraplegia) but a relative peak at 9 AM mainly including incomplete patients with paraplegia. Of the (n=1294) included patients, 16.8% experienced at least 1 fall. Fallen patients reported higher levels of HADS depression, lower total SCIM, and longer time since injury to admission, with no differences in age, sex, educational level, FIM (quasi-significant), and AIS grade. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards identified time since injury to admission and AIS grade D as significant predictors of first fall event. CONCLUSIONS: Falls identification, characterization, and clock-hour visualization can support decisions for mitigation strategies specifically addressed to inpatients with SCI. Fall predictors were identified as a first step for future research.

Epidemiological profile of spinal cord injury in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and analyze the biosocioeconomic profile associated with the occupation and education of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) from Brazil. DESIGN: Analytical, quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS: Sample composed of 618 Brazilian adults with SCI and access to the internet. SETTING: Community-based, Brazil. METHODS: An online form was developed and publicized on Brazilian social media to voluntarily register for participation in research. Pearson's Chi-squared test was used to analyze the association between categorical variables and the Kruskal Wallis test was used for comparisons and adjusted Odds Ratio with a 95% Confidence Interval. RESULTS: Among the 618 participants, 68.9% were men, with mean age of 38.04 years (SD = 9.85); 58.7% were people with paraplegia and most injuries were traumatic (78.5%), most caused by road traffic accidents (40.8%) and weapons (17.5%). The majority were graduates or post-graduates (49.5%) and received an income of up to US$ 749.58 (55.1%); 70.9% of the participants were beneficiaries of social welfare (63.6%) or unemployed (7.3%). There was a reduction in the employment rate from 91.3% to 15.2% after SCI. An association was found between education and current occupation (P ≥ 0.001). Participants with higher education had higher odds (7.48) to being employed relative to those with elementary education. CONCLUSION: A serious employment situation after SCI was found, with high unemployment and dependence on social welfare. This shows the need for investment in public policies for the rehabilitation, focused on participation, return to the labor market, and ending dependence on social welfare.

Prevalence and Determinants of Pain in Spinal Cord Injury During Initial Inpatient Rehabilitation: Data From the Dutch Spinal Cord Injury Database.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and characteristics of spinal cord injury (SCI)-related pain during initial inpatient rehabilitation and to investigate relationships with demographic and lesion characteristics. DESIGN: Cohort during inpatient rehabilitation. SETTING: Eight specialized SCI rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with newly acquired SCI admitted for inpatient rehabilitation between November 2013 and August 2019 (N=1432). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of pain at admission and discharge. Logistic regression analyses were used to study the prevalence of pain related to sex, age, etiology, completeness, and level of injury. RESULTS: Data from 1432 patients were available. Of these patients 64.6% were male, mean age was 56.8 years, 59.9% had a nontraumatic SCI, 63.9% were classified as American Spinal Cord Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) D and 56.5% had paraplegia. Prevalence of pain was 61.2% at admission (40.6% nociceptive pain [NocP], 30.2% neuropathic pain [NeuP], 5.4% other pain) and 51.5% at discharge (26.0% NocP, 31.4% NeuP, 5.7% other pain). Having NocP at admission was associated with traumatic SCI. AIS B had a lower risk of NocP than AIS D at admission. Having NocP at discharge was associated with female sex and traumatic SCI. AIS C had a lower risk of NocP at discharge than AIS D. Having NeuP at admission was associated with female sex. Having NeuP at discharge was associated with female sex, age younger than 65 years vs age older than 75 years and tetraplegia. CONCLUSIONS: SCI-related pain is highly prevalent during inpatient rehabilitation. Prevalence of NocP decreased during inpatient rehabilitation, and prevalence of NeuP stayed the same. Different patient and lesion characteristics were related to the presence of SCI-related pain. Healthcare professionals should be aware of these differences in screening patients on presence and development of pain during inpatient rehabilitation.

Cardiometabolic risk profiling during spinal cord injury rehabilitation: A longitudinal analysis from the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury (SwiSCI) cohort.

BACKGROUND: Early screening is important in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) as they are deemed high risk for cardiometabolic diseases. Few studies explored changes in cardiometabolic risk profile in the early phase of the injury. Thus it remains unclear how early the cardiometabolic status deteriorates after injury. OBJECTIVE: To determine the longitudinal changes in the cardiometabolic risk profile and examine the association between injury characteristics and cardiometabolic status in subacute SCI. SETTING: Multicenter Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with traumatic SCI without a history of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure (BP), lipid profile, fasting glucose, waist circumference (WC), weight, body mass index (BMI), and Framingham risk score (FRS) were compared across time and according to the injury characteristics. RESULTS: We analyzed the data of 258 individuals with traumatic SCI (110 tetraplegia and 148 paraplegia, 122 motor complete, and 136 incomplete). The median age was 50 years (interquartile range [IQR] 32-60), with 76.4% (n = 197) of the population being male. The median rehabilitation duration was 5.5 months (IQR 3.2-7.1). At admission to rehabilitation, fully adjusted linear regression models showed higher baseline weight (ß 0.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.005 to 0.11), systolic BP (ß 0.05, 95% CI 0.008 to 0.09), diastolic BP (ß 0.05, 95% CI 0.004 to 0.10), and triglycerides (ß 0.27, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.42) in paraplegia than tetraplegia. Systolic BP, diastolic BP, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were higher in incomplete than complete injury. In our main analysis, we observed an increase in cholesterol and HDL-C and lipid ratio when comparing the beginning and end of rehabilitation. Individuals with paraplegia had a higher increase in BMI than individuals with tetraplegia, whereas no differences in other cardiometabolic risk factors were detected when comparing motor incomplete and complete injury. Trajectories of each participant showed that the majority of individuals with SCI decreased FRS score at follow-up compared to baseline and no significant changes in the prevalence of cardiometabolic syndrome were observed. At discharge, one third of study participants were classified as moderate to high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), 64% were overweight, and 39.4% had cardiometabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: We observed a modest improvement in lipid profile and FRS during the first inpatient rehabilitation hospitalization. Injury characteristics, such as level and completeness, were not associated with changes in cardiometabolic risk factors in the subacute phase of the injury. Despite this, a significant proportion of study participants remained at risk of cardiometabolic disease at discharge, suggesting that early cardiometabolic preventive strategies may be initiated as early as during the first inpatient rehabilitation hospitalization.

Spinal cord injury during early pregnancy: Problems in the course of rehabilitation and infant care, a case report.

CONTEXT: Spinal cord injury (SCI) sustained during pregnancy may be dangerous to the mother and her child. The risk is associated both with necessary diagnostic work-up and with the therapeutic process (radiographic investigations, surgical procedures, anesthesia, spinal shock, SCI complications, delivery). However, infant care is an enormous challenge for a woman with motor disability. The authors present a case report concerning the problems of treatment, rehabilitation and infant care in an SCI woman. To our knowledge, it is the first paper to describe SCI at such an early stage of gestation (2.5 weeks of gestational age/WGA). FINDINGS: A 20-year old paraplegic woman after SCI was pregnant. The period of diagnostics (MRI, X-ray), surgery and rehabilitation was associated with minor complications for the mother and no complications for the child. At discharge from the rehabilitation center the patient presented Th11 paraplegia (AIS-C), 24.5 WGA, and she could walk using a walker with a knee-ankle-foot-orthosis on the right and an ankle-foot-orthosis on the left lower limb. She delivered at 38 WGA via cesarean section (girl, birth weight 2960 g, length 50 cm, APGAR = 9 and 10). Bathing the baby and walking with it were the main problems of the post-delivery period. CONCLUSIONS: Factors potentially threatening the mother and child's health in SCI during pregnancy do not always contribute to the complications of the clinical status and health of the child. Comprehensive approach to the treatment, rehabilitation and care of pregnant women with SCI facilitates the course of pregnancy, delivery and child care.

The influence of psychological need on rehabilitation outcomes for people with spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Single-centre, retrospective study of people with a spinal cord injury or disorder (PwSCI/D) and identified psychological need. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of psychological need on rehabilitation outcomes. SETTING: National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC), Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, United Kingdom. METHODS: Self-reported data from the Stoke Mandeville Spinal Needs Assessment Checklist (SMS-NAC) were used to examine identified psychological need (characterised by referral for psychological treatment, or scoring above clinical threshold in admission psychometric measures) on SCI rehabilitation outcome domains. Participants were grouped according to whether they were referred, not referred, scored above or below clinical threshold. RESULTS: 234 participants were included (Mean age at injury (years) = 53, 70% Male, 29% tetraplegia, 38% paraplegia, 33% ASIA D). There was a significant improvement in outcome scores from admission to discharge across all domains irrespective of participant group, however individuals with identified psychological need scored lower across all rehabilitation domains than those without. While individuals with psychological need demonstrated longer rehabilitation stays, more frequent and longer discharge delays, they also showed comparatively greater rehabilitation improvements. Psychological screening measures were more effective at detecting psychological need than individuals identified via referral, and participants scoring above clinical threshold had poorest overall rehabilitation outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with psychological need have greater rehabilitation need and may require longer rehabilitation and benefit from additional discharge planning. Early, proactive psychometric screening can better facilitate improvements for delivering rehabilitation. Future research should consider specific contributing factors to psychological need, such as pre-existing mental health conditions or socio-demographic influences.

Feasibility of an Upper Limb Strength Training Program in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury during Primary Rehabilitation-An Uncontrolled Interventional Study.

Data concerning the outcomes of standardized strength-training programs in people with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) are scarce. The present study evaluated the feasibility and effects of a clinic-internal strength-training concept in people with paraplegia during the course of primary rehabilitation. For this purpose, participants followed a 10-12 week standardized supervised strength-training program (30 training sessions) during primary rehabilitation. At the beginning, 5-6 weeks and 10-12 weeks later, maximal strength based on indirect one-repetition maximum (1RM) measurements for two specific exercises (triceps press; horizontal rowing pull) was determined. Twelve out of 17 participants successfully completed the study. Maximal weights for 1RM significantly increased over the 10-12 week training program for the triceps press (+30%; p = 0.018) and the horizontal rowing pull (+41%; p = 0.008). Training compliance was 95%. Reasons for study exclusion were urgent surgery (n = 2), cardio-respiratory complications (n = 1), shoulder pain (n = 1) and a training compliance of less than 50% (n = 1). In conclusion, a supervised and standardized strength-training program during primary rehabilitation of people with paraplegia is feasible and leads to significant increases in maximal strength. Although study participants showed a high training compliance, factors such as medical complications may impede the proper implementation of a strength-training concept into daily clinical practice.

Results from the International Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey: The Lived Experience of People with Spinal Cord Injury in South-Eastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of spinal cord injury in Brazil is increasing. It is important to understand more about how individuals are living with spinal cord injury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study of individuals with spinal cord injury in south-eastern Brazil. SUBJECTS: A questionnaire with 125 questions was applied to individuals diagnosed with spinal cord injury. Participants were recruited by survey team from 2 rehabilitation centres (both in south-eastern Brazil) that treat persons diagnosed with SCI. Personal characteristics, associated health conditions, quality of life, work status, environmental factors, and other functioning-related aspects were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 201 individuals participated in the survey. Of these, 79% were male, mean age 44 years, 60% were considered paraplegic, and the major causes of impairment were firearm injuries and road traffic accidents. Spasticity was the most frequently reported health condition, followed by neuropathic pain. 50% of subjects did not report any difficulty with participation in activities of daily living. However, only approximately 10% of subjects returned to work after spinal trauma. Their quality of life is reported 44% as good. CONCLUSION: Most people with spinal cord injury in south-eastern Brazil are male and paraplegic, health problems and spasticity is considered their most problematic health condition. Although they report having a good quality of life, they still encounter disabling environmental barriers that make their life more difficult, such as poor accessibility of public spaces, and only a small proportion (10%) returned to work after their injury. This study provides an initial overview of the lived experience of people with spinal cord injury in south-eastern Brazil and should serve as a starting point for future research on this population.

Level of injury is an independent determining factor of gut dysbiosis in people with chronic spinal cord injury: A cross-sectional study.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlations between gut microbiota and metabolic parameters in people with different levels of chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: An SCI-specialized rehabilitation facility in a university hospital. METHODS: Forty-three participants with chronic SCI were recruited. Blood samples of each participant were collected for analysis of metabolic parameters. Feces were collected after the bowel opening method the patient routinely uses to evaluate fecal bacterial microbiota using quantitative RT-PCR. Body composition was examined using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Data were analyzed to evaluate the correlations between gut microbiota and other parameters. RESULTS: Of the 43 participants, 31 people (72.1%) were paraplegic and 12 people (27.9%) tetraplegic. Thirty-two people (74.4%) were diagnosed with obesity using the percentage of body fat (% body fat) criteria. The mean (SD) ratio of Firmicutes:Bacteroides (F/B), which represents the degree of gut dysbiosis, was 18.3 (2.45). Using stepwise multivariable linear regression analysis, both having tetraplegia and being diagnosed with obesity from % body fat evaluated by DEXA were independent positively-correlating factors of F/B (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively), indicating more severe gut dysbiosis in people with tetraplegia than paraplegia. CONCLUSION: In people with chronic SCI, having tetraplegia and being diagnosed with obesity from % body fat evaluated by DEXA are independent positive-correlating factors of gut dysbiosis. These results indicate a significant association between gut microbiota and the characteristics of SCI as well as metabolic parameters.

Illness perception of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) during inpatient rehabilitation: a longitudinal study.

STUDY DESIGN: Multicentre longitudinal study. OBJECTIVES: To assess overall illness perception and specific illness representations at admission and discharge of inpatient spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation, and to detect associations between demographic and injury-related variables, and illness perception. SETTING: Seven Dutch SCI-specialised rehabilitation centres. METHODS: Participants aged >18 years with a recent SCI were screened for cognitive and emotional illness representations at admission and discharge with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ). Differences between B-IPQ item scores at admission and discharge were analysed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Differences between B-IPQ total scores were analysed with the paired-samples t-test. Associations between B-IPQ total scores and other variables were tested with bivariable and multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: B-IPQ results were available for 270 participants at admission (71% male, 59% paraplegia, 83% incomplete) and 119 at discharge (68% male, 50% paraplegia, 78% incomplete). The extent to which people experienced their SCI as a threat was highest for: 'consequences', 'symptom burden' and 'concern' both at admission and discharge. Participants generally experienced less threat at discharge. A more threatening illness perception was significantly associated with older age, complete SCI and a history of cognitive problems at admission. Age and completeness of injury, together, explained 12% of the variance of overall illness perception at admission. CONCLUSIONS: For most individuals, illness perception positively changed during SCI rehabilitation. Measuring illness perception in inpatient rehabilitation could support the identification of specific treatment goals in order to improve adjustment after SCI.

Perceived Clinical Barriers to Employment for Males with Spinal Cord Injury in Saudi Arabia.

Return to work is a challenging aspect of community integration for individuals with disabilities. The reintegration of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) is multifactorial; hence, regional challenges need to be investigated in the context of their clinical attributes and perceptions. A total of 121 male participants above 18 years of age with diagnosis of SCI and living at home were included in this cross-sectional survey. The study was conducted at a tertiary care rehabilitation facility in Saudi Arabia. The most common reported clinical barriers to employment were mobility, bladder incontinence, spasticity, musculoskeletal pain, and neuropathic pain. Bladder incontinence and musculoskeletal pain were the most common perceived clinical barriers for individuals with paraplegia and tetraplegia, respectively. A significant difference was observed for bowel incontinence as a reported barrier (p = 0.024) among adults less than thirty years of age in comparison with those older than thirty years. Spasticity as a barrier was reported more among patients who were older than thirty years (54.0%) compared to those younger than thirty years of age (37.9%) (p = 0.077). Twenty-two (23.7%) participants with paraplegia reported transfers as a perceived barrier to employment, which was significant (p = 0.014), and it was also reported as a significant barrier (p = 0.001) in individuals with tetraplegia (56%). This study shows that clinical conditions associated with SCI are considered potential barriers to employment by individuals with SCI. In terms of priority, the perceived barriers between individuals with tetraplegia and paraplegia were mostly different. This shows the need to consider relevant secondary health care conditions in goal setting while planning for employment in individuals with SCI.

Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index/Capacity: Responsiveness to Change Over Time.

OBJECTIVE: To establish responsiveness of 3 Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index/Capacity (SCI-FI/C) item banks in the first year after spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Longitudinal patient-reported outcomes assessment replicated through secondary analysis of an independent data set. SETTING: A total of 8 SCI Model Systems rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Study 1 participants included 184 adults with recent (≤4 months) traumatic SCI and 221 community-dwelling adults (>1 year post injury) (N=405). Study 2 participants were 418 individuals with recent SCI (≤4 months) (N=418). INTERVENTIONS: In study 1, SCI-FI/C computer adaptive tests were presented in a standardized interview format either in person or by phone call at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Responsiveness was examined by comparing 6-month changes in SCI-FI scores within and across samples (recently injured vs community-dwelling) because only the recent injury sample was expected to exhibit change over time. Effect sizes were also computed. In study 2, the study 1 results were cross-validated in a second sample with recent SCI 1 year after baseline measurement. Study 2 also compared the SCI-FI/C measures' responsiveness to that of the Self-reported Functional Measure (SRFM) and stratified results by injury diagnosis and completeness. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The SCI-FI Basic Mobility/C, Self-care/C and Fine Motor/C item banks (study 1 and study 2); Self-reported Functional Measure SRFM (study 2 only). RESULTS: In study 1, changes in SCI-FI/C scores between baseline and 6-month follow-up were statistically significant (P<.01) for recently injured individuals. SCI-FI Basic Mobility/C, Self-care/C, and Fine Motor/C item banks demonstrated small to medium effect sizes in the recently injured sample. In the community-dwelling sample, all SCI-FI/C effects were negligible (ie, effect size<0.08). Study 2 results were similar to study 1. As expected, SCI-FI Basic Mobility/C and Self-care/C were responsive to change for all individuals in study 2, whereas the SCI-FI Fine Motor/C was responsive only for individuals with tetraplegia and incomplete paraplegia. The SRFM demonstrated a medium effect size for responsiveness (effect size=0.65). CONCLUSIONS: The SCI-FI Basic Mobility/C and Self-care/C banks demonstrate adequate sensitivity to change at 6 months and 1 year for all individuals with SCI, while the SCI-FI/C Fine Motor item bank is sensitive to change in individuals with tetraplegia or incomplete paraplegia. All SCI-FI/C banks demonstrate stability in a sample not expected to change. Results provide support for the use of these measures for research or clinical use.