The role of comprehensive rehabilitation in the care of degenerative cervical myelopathy.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To find out if comprehensive rehabilitation itself can improve daily performance in persons with DCM. SETTING: The spinal department of a rehabilitation hospital. METHODS: Data from 116 DCM inpatients who underwent comprehensive rehabilitation after spinal surgery were retrospectively analyzed. The definitions of the calculated outcome variables made possible analyses that distinguished the effect of rehabilitation from that of spinal surgery. Paired t-tests were used to compare admission with discharge outcomes and functional gains. Spearman's correlations were used to assess relationships between performance gain during rehabilitation and between time from surgery to rehabilitation. RESULTS: The Spinal Cord Injury Ability Realization Measurement Index (SCI-ARMI) increased during rehabilitation from 57 (24) to 78 (19) (p < 0.001). The Spinal Cord Independence Measure 3rd version (SCIM III) gain attributed to neurological improvement (dSCIM-IIIn) was 6.3 (9.2), and that attributed to rehabilitation (dSCIM-IIIr) 16 (18.5) (p < 0.001). dSCIM-IIIr showed a rather weak negative correlation with time from spinal surgery to rehabilitation (r = -0.42, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed, for the first time, that comprehensive rehabilitation can achieve considerable functional improvement for persons with DCM of any degree, beyond that of spinal surgery. Combined with previously published evidence, this indicates that comprehensive rehabilitation can be considered for persons with DCM of any functional degree, before surgery.

The net contribution of rehabilitation to improvement in performance in patients with spinal cord lesions in five countries.

CONTEXT: Change in ability realization reflects the main contribution of rehabilitation to improvement in the performance of daily activities in patients with spinal cord lesions (SCL). OBJECTIVE: To assess the net effect of rehabilitation of patients with SCL and compare it between countries. METHODS: We calculated the Spinal Cord Ability Realization Measurement Index (SCI-ARMI) and its change from admission to rehabilitation to discharge, for inpatients admitted to SCL units in five countries, between 2016 and 2019. We used chi-square tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), McNemar's test, Pearson's correlations, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare countries and patient groups and assess the relationships of various factors with SCI-ARMI gain during rehabilitation. RESULTS: The study included 218 inpatients (67% males, age 52 ± 17). In Brazil, Israel, Italy, Portugal, and Turkiye, respectively, SCI-ARMI gain was 2 (SD = 15), 19 (SD = 17), 31 (SD = 23), 13 (SD = 15), and 16 (SD = 12). Yet, after controlling for admission SCI-ARMI and the time from SCL onset to the examination, the effect of the country on ability realization gain was found non-significant (P = 0.086). CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that rehabilitation makes a net contribution to improvement in performance in patients with SCL, beyond the contribution of neurological recovery. After controlling for affecting factors, this contribution was quite similar in the participating units from different countries.

Venous thromboembolism and anticoagulation in spinal cord lesion rehabilitation inpatients: A 10-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a concern following the onset of spinal cord lesions (SCL). OBJECTIVES: To assess the current efficacy and risks of anticoagulation after SCL and consider changes in thromboprophylaxis. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included individuals admitted to inpatient rehabilitation within 3 months of SCL onset. Main outcome measures were the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), bleeding, thrombocytopenia, or death, which occurred within 1 year of the SCL onset. RESULTS: VTE occurred in 37 of the 685 patients included in the study (5.4%, 95% CI 3.7-7.1%, 2.8% PE), and in 16 of 526 patients who received prophylactic anticoagulation at rehabilitation (3%, 95% CI 1.6-4.5%, 1.1% PE, with at least 1 fatality). Of these 526, 1.3% developed clinically significant bleeding and 0.8% thrombocytopenia. Prophylactic anticoagulation, most commonly 40 mg/day, continued until a median period of 6.4 weeks after SCL onset (25% -75% percentiles 5.8-9.7), but in 29.7%, VTE occurred more than 3 months after SCL onset. CONCLUSION: The VTE prophylaxis used for the present cohort contributed to a considerable but limited reduction of VTE incidence. The authors recommend conducting a prospective study to assess the efficacy and safety of an updated preventive anticoagulation regimen.

Satisfaction scores can be used to assess the quality of care and service in spinal rehabilitation.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort comparative study. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the suitability of satisfaction scores for the assessment of quality of care and service in spinal rehabilitation. SETTING: Spinal rehabilitation department. METHODS: Fifty-two inpatients participated anonymously in a large satisfaction survey, in 2017. A questionnaire containing the same questions was completed by 96 other inpatients, whose personal details were known, admitted to the same department between 2017 and 2019. Differences in satisfaction scores were compared between the two groups, between years, and between identified patients with differences in perceived progress and satisfaction with progress, using Mann-Whitney tests. In the identified patients, the association between satisfaction and patient demographic, neurological, and functional characteristics was evaluated using Pearson correlations. Analysis of variance and t test assessed the effect of comorbidities on satisfaction. T test assessed gender differences between groups. The effect of associated factors on satisfaction was examined using a stepwise linear regression. RESULTS: The total satisfaction score was 86.05 ± 16.99 for the anonymous group and 88.75 ± 12.45 for the identified patients (p > 0.05). The only patient characteristics that were associated with satisfaction were years of education, the perception of progress during rehabilitation, and the satisfaction with progress (p < 0.02). Their contribution to the total satisfaction variance, however, was relatively small (R2 = 0.211). CONCLUSIONS: The small effect of patient characteristics on total satisfaction indicates that satisfaction scores can be used to assess the quality of care and service in spinal rehabilitation. This and the similarity in findings between the groups supports the validity of the questionnaires.

Ability Realization Improves During Inpatient Rehabilitation for Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate improvement in ability realization and additional long-term outcomes, during and after inpatient rehabilitation for Guillain-Barré syndrome. DESIGN: This is a retrospective, longitudinal cohort study, in which outcomes were examined using validated scales, for 47 inpatients with Guillain-Barré syndrome. RESULTS: Scores improved from 65 on the American Spinal Injury Association Motor Score and 50 on the Spinal Cord Independence Measure, at admission to inpatient rehabilitation, to 81 and 80 at discharge, and to 92 and 95 at the end of 7.5 yrs, on average, at the follow-up ( P = 0.001). The mean Spinal Cord Independence Measure/American Spinal Injury Association Motor Score ratio, which reflects the ability realization, increased during rehabilitation from 50/65 to 80/81 ( P = 0.001), and tended to increase further at follow-up to 95/92 ( P = 0.228). At follow-up, pain did not correlate, and fatigue showed a weak correlation with the American Spinal Injury Association Motor Score, Spinal Cord Independence Measure, and the Adult Subjective Assessment of Participation ( r = -0.363, P = 0.012; r = -0.362, P = 0.012; r = -0.392, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Ability realization improved during inpatient rehabilitation for Guillain-Barré syndrome and remained high after discharge, suggesting a likely contribution of rehabilitation to the functional outcome, beyond the contribution of neurological recovery. Despite residual fatigue and pain, there was only minor or no effect on daily function or participation.

Reliability Validity and Responsiveness of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure 4th Version in a Multicultural Setup.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the fourth version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure for reliability and validity. DESIGN: Partly blinded comparison with the criterion standard Spinal Cord Independence Measure III, and between examiners and examinations. SETTING: A multicultural cohort from 19 spinal cord injury units in 11 countries. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 648 patients with spinal cord injury. INTERVENTION: Assessment with Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM IV) and Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III) on admission to inpatient rehabilitation and before discharge. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: SCIM IV interrater reliability, internal consistency, correlation with and difference from SCIM III, and responsiveness. RESULTS: Total agreement between examiners was above 80% on most SCIM IV tasks. All Kappa coefficients were above 0.70 and statistically significant (P<.001). Pearson's coefficients of the correlation between the examiners were above 0.90, and intraclass correlation coefficients were above 0.90. Cronbach's alpha was above 0.96 for the entire SCIM IV, above 0.66 for the subscales, and usually decreased when an item was eliminated. Reliability values were lower for the subscale of respiration and sphincter management, and on admission than at discharge. SCIM IV and SCIM III mean values were very close, and the coefficients of Pearson correlation between them were 0.91-0.96 (P<.001). The responsiveness of SCIM IV was not significantly different from that of SCIM III in most of the comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: The validity, reliability, and responsiveness of SCIM IV, which was adjusted to assess specific patient conditions or situations that SCIM III does not address, and which includes more accurate definitions of certain scoring criteria, are very good and quite similar to those of SCIM III. SCIM IV can be used for clinical and research trials, including international multi-center studies, and its group scores can be compared with those of SCIM III.

Consciousness recovery after various periods in vegetative state.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that late recovery from vegetative state (VS) is more prevalent today than previously thought. This study examined the decline in the rate of recovery from VS with time after admission to rehabilitation, and established a new time frame, in which the odds of recovery from VS remain substantial. METHODS: Data of 206 patients with VS after traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries (TBI and NTBI), who were treated at the Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital (LRH), in Raanana, Israel, between 2003 and 2015, and described in a previous publication, were further analysed. Rate of recovery from VS was monitored at several time points after admission to intensive care and consciousness rehabilitation (ICCR). RESULTS: The odds of consciousness recovery were at least 54% at admission to ICCR, and 48%, 33%, 19%, and 7% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after admission, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of recovery from VS decreases significantly with time, but contrary to previous consensus, 6-12 months after admission to ICCR, the odds of recovery from VS after TBI and NTBI remain substantial.

Local recurrence of breast cancer: Salvage lumpectomy as an option for local treatment.

INTRODUCTION: The best local management for breast cancer recurrence following conservative treatment for breast cancer (BC) continues to be an open question. In this study, we compared patients' outcome after salvage lumpectomy (SL) vs mastectomy for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1987 and 2014 we identified 121 patients with pT0-2, N0-3, M0 BC who had BCT as their primary treatment, and subsequently had IBTR (unifocal). 47 patients underwent SL and 74 salvage mastectomy (SM) as the local treatment for their 1st recurrence. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 14 years (1-30) from first BC diagnosis. For the SL and SM cohorts, 8 and 10 patients (17%, 13.5%, P = 0.22), respectively, developed subsequent local recurrence as a 3rd event. Although in MVA, woman who underwent SL had higher chances of having a 2nd recurrence (3rd event), P = 0.020, at a median follow-up of 14 years, 95.8% of SL patients are alive, NED, 85% are mastectomy free. 87% of patients who opted for SM are alive, NED. Having re-irradiation following SL did not protect against 2nd breast cancer recurrence (3rd event, P = 0.42). CONCLUSION: Salvage lumpectomy following IBTR, while associated with higher second LR rate than SM is not associated with inferior outcome. With survival >95% at 14 years in the SL cohort, salvage lumpectomy with or without re-radiation, in a selected population (unifocal T), represents an acceptable treatment option for patients in order to delay time to mastectomy without reducing BC survival. Both options should be discussed prior to any surgical decision.

RPM Inspiration Gating: Improving Radiotherapy for Left Breast Cancer Patients with Anterior Heart Position.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer reduces local recurrence and improves survival. In patients with left sided breast cancer, anterior heart position or medial tumor location may cause inadequate breast coverage due to heart shielding. Respiration gating using the Real-time Position Management (RPM) system enables pushing the heart away from the tangential fields during inspiration, thus optimizing the treatment plan. OBJECTIVES: To compare breathing inspiration gating (IG) techniques with free breathing (FB), focusing on breast coverage. METHODS: The study comprised 49 consecutive patients with left sided breast cancer who underwent lumpectomy and adjuvant radiation. RPM was chosen due to insufficient breast coverage caused by an anterior heart position or medial lumpectomy cavity. FB and IG computed tomography simulations were generated for each patient. Breast (PTVbreast) and lumpectomy cavity (CTVlump) were defined as the target areas. Optimized treatment plans were created for each scan. A dosimetric comparison was made for breast coverage and heart and lungs doses. RESULTS: PTVbreast V95% and mean dose (Dmean) were higher with IG vs. FB (82.36% vs. 78.88%, P = 0.002; 95.73% vs. 93.63%, P < 0.001, respectively). CTVlump V95% and Dmean were higher with IG (98.87% vs. 88.92%, P = 0.001; 99.14% vs. 96.73%, P = 0.003, respectively). The cardiac dose was lower with IG. The IG left lung Dmean was higher. No statistical difference was found for left lung V20. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with suboptimal treatment plans due to anterior heart position or medial lumpectomy cavity, RPM IG enabled better breast/tumor bed coverage and reduced cardiac doses.

Vegetative state outcomes improved over the last two decades.

OBJECTIVE: To describe late outcomes in patients with prolonged unawareness, and factors affecting them. DESIGN: A retrospective study of 154 patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 52 with non-traumatic brain injury (NTBI), admitted for intensive care and consciousness rehabilitation (ICCR), in a vegetative state (VS) lasting over 1 month. RESULTS: Survival rate (67% total) was higher than in past studies carried out at the same facility (p < 0.01). Consciousness recovery rate (54% total) was higher in NTBI VS patients (p < 0.01) than in earlier cohorts, and similar in TBI VS patients, despite their older age than that of earlier cohorts. No meaningful differences were found in characteristics or in outcomes between the TBI and NTBI groups. Age, length of stay in ICCR, and hydrocephalus were found to affect survival (p < 0.001). Younger age, absence of hydrocephalus, and anti-Parkinsonian medication contributed to consciousness recovery after VS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated an improvement in survival and recovery of consciousness in VS patients over the last two decades, and similar outcomes for both TBI and NTBI VS. Outcomes suggest that acute medical care and ICCR have contributed to advances in VS care.

Melatonin for Prevention of Breast Radiation Dermatitis: A Phase II, Prospective, Double-Blind Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced dermatitis is commonly seen during radiotherapy for breast cancer. Melatonin-based creams have shown a protective effect against ultraviolet-induced erythema and a radioprotective effect in rats. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of melatonin-containing cream in minimizing acute radiation dermatitis. METHODS: In this phase II, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind study, patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery for stage 0-2 breast cancer were randomly allocated to melatonin emulsion (26 women) or placebo (21 women) for twice daily use during radiation treatment and 2 weeks following the end of radiotherapy. All women received 50 Gy whole breast radiation therapy with 2 Gy/fx using computed tomography-based 3D planning. Patients were examined and completed a detailed questionnaire weekly and 2 weeks following the end of treatment. RESULTS: The occurrence of grade 1/2 acute radiation dermatitis was significantly lower (59% vs. 90%, P = 0.038) in the melatonin group. Women older than 50 had significantly less dermatitis than younger patients (56% vs. 100%, P = 0.021). The maximal radiation dermatitis in the study group was grade 2 in 15% of the treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with melatonin-containing emulsion experienced significantly reduced radiation dermatitis compared to patients receiving placebo.

Immediate breast reconstruction with anatomical implants following mastectomy: The radiation perspective.

Immediate implant-based breast reconstruction followed by postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) is controversial because of the risk of compromised treatment plans and concerns regarding cosmetic outcomes. We evaluated the effects of immediate direct-to-implant breast reconstruction with anatomical implants on the quality of PMRT delivered by 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). In this retrospective, single-institution study, patients who had undergone reconstruction with direct anatomic implant, performed by a single surgeon, received 3D-CRT between 2008 and 2013. For each patient, 2 plans (including or excluding internal mammary nodes [IMN]) were created and calculated. The primary end point was the dose distribution among reconstructed breasts, heart, lungs, and IMNs, and between right and left breasts. Of 29 consecutive patients, 11 received right-sided and 18 received left-sided PMRT to a total dose of 50Gy. For plans excluding IMN coverage, mean Dmean for right and left reconstructed breasts was 49.09Gy (98.2% of the prescribed dose) and 48.51Gy (97.0%), respectively. For plans including IMNs, mean Dmean was 49.15Gy (98.3%) for right and 48.46Gy (96.9%) for left reconstructed breasts; the mean IMN Dmean was 47.27Gy (right) and 47.89Gy (left). Heart Dmean was below 1.56Gy for all plans. Mean total lung volume receiving a dose of ≥ 20Gy was 13.80% to 19.47%. PMRT can be delivered effectively and safely by 3D-CRT after direct-to-implant breast reconstruction with anatomical implants, even if patients require IMN treatment.

Evolution of chronic kidney disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus over a long-period follow-up: a single-center inception cohort study.

The objective is to investigate the accrual rate and risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in an inception cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) followed at a single tertiary center. A prospectively collected database of 256 consecutive patients with SLE followed over a 25-year period was systematically interrogated for demographic, disease manifestations, co-morbidities, and outcome. Standardized SLE activity and damage scores were determined for the first and last study visits, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; MDRD formula) was calculated at the time of diagnosis and at each year of the follow-up. CKD was defined as eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Results were analyzed with univariate and multivariate models and Kaplan-Meier curves, as appropriate. The cohort was predominantly female (90 %) and Jewish (91.1 %). Mean age at diagnosis was 38 ± 15.5 years, mean SLE activity score 6.4 ± 3.8, mean disease duration 8.8 ± 6.6 years, and mean damage score 0.2 ± 0.6. Seventy-five patients (30.8 %) were diagnosed with American College of Rheumatology (ACR)-defined lupus renal disease during the study period. There was a progressive decrease in eGFR over time. The prevalence of CKD was 46.7 % in patients with ACR-defined renal lupus disease and 16.4 % in those without. The hazards ratio for CKD was significantly higher in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) than without (p < 0.001). Earlier CKD was positively associated with hypertension (p = 0.01), older age at diagnosis (p = 0.01), and LN (p < 0.001), and negatively associated with hydroxychloroquine treatment (p < 0.001). The prevalence of CKD increases cumulatively in patients with SLE, also in those without overt lupus renal disease. Lupus renal disease poses a significant hazard for earlier development of CKD, and hypertension is a major risk factor for patients with and without nephritis. Antimalarial treatment is associated with renal preservation only in patients with lupus nephritis.

Zinc supplementation augments in vivo antitumor effect of chemotherapy by restoring p53 function.

Activated p53 is necessary for tumor suppression. Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase-2 (HIPK2) is a positive regulator of functional p53. HIPK2 modulates wild-type p53 activity toward proapoptotic transcription and tumor suppression by the phosphorylation of serine 46. Knock-down of HIPK2 interferes with tumor suppression and sensitivity to chemotherapy. Combined administration of adriamycin and zinc restores activity of misfolded p53 and enables the induction of its proapoptotic and tumor suppressor functions in vitro and in vivo. We therefore looked for a cancer model where HIPK2 expression is low. MMTV-neu transgenic mice overexpressing HER2/neu, develop mammary tumors at puberty with a long latency, showing very low expression of HIPK2. Here we show that whereas these tumors are resistant to adriamycin treatment, a combination of adriamycin and zinc suppresses tumor growth in vivo in these mice, an effect evidenced by the histological features of the mammary tumors. The combined treatment of adriamycin and zinc also restores wild-type p53 conformation and induces proapoptotic transcription activity. These findings may open up new possibilities for the treatment of human cancers via the combination of zinc with chemotherapeutic agents, for a selected group of patients expressing low levels of HIPK2, with an intact p53. In addition, HIPK2 may serve as a new biomarker for tumor aggressiveness.

[Rehabilitation outcomes in patients with spinal cord injury 1992-2003: survival, neurologic recovery, length of stay in hospital].

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of spinal cord injuries (SCI) have improved over the last decades. OBJECTIVES: Update on outcomes following SCI in Israel. METHODS: Data on 259 SCI patients admitted for rehabilitation between 1992 and 2003 were collected. Survival rates were estimated using the product limit (Kaplan-Meyer) method and their association with risk factors was analyzed with the Cox Proportional Hazard model. Neurological recovery was determined by the change in Frankel grades during rehabilitation, and compared with data from a previous study using the chi2 test. Effects on neurological recovery were examined using logistic regression. Effects on length of stay (LOS) were assessed by ANOVA. RESULTS: The number of SCI patients approximately doubled during the 1990s. Survival rate was 88% and 86.3%, 5 and 10 years respectively after injury. Survival was negatively associated with age (p < 0.001) and with high spinal level of injury (p < 0.001). Thirty eight percent of patients with Frankel grades A, B, or C (SCI that do not allow functioning) recovered to grades D or E (that allow functioning). Average LOS was 135 days. LOS was positively associated with Frankel grade and negatively with recent SCI onset. CONCLUSIONS: The demand for rehabilitation after SCI increased significantly in the studied decade. In Israel, survival and neurological recovery rates after SCI rehabilitation are close to those reported in other countries. Despite the decrease in LOS, in recent years, survival is at least as long as before, and neurological recovery has improved significantly.

Outcomes in patients admitted for rehabilitation with spinal cord or cauda equina lesions following degenerative spinal stenosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate outcome measures and the factors affecting them in patients treated between 1962 and 2000 at Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital, Israel. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study included 262 patients with spinal neurological lesions (spinal cord or cauda equina lesions) following degenerative spinal stenosis. Data were collected retrospectively. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the relative mortality risk by the Cox model. Neurological recovery was evaluated by the change in Frankel grades, and factors that affect it were assessed by logistic regression. Associations of length of stay in rehabilitation were analyzed with ANOVA. RESULTS: Median age at lesion onset was 61 years and median survival 17.6 years. Age at spinal neurological lesion onset was found to be the only factor with a significant effect on survival. Of the 148 patients who had Frankel grades A, B, or C on admission, 58% achieved recovery to grades D and E. Frankel grade at admission, age, and spinal neurological level had a significant effect on recovery. The mean length of stay was 99.7 days, and only Frankel grade had a significant effect on length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with spinal stenosis and disabling spinal neurological lesions can achieve significant neurological recovery and survive for many years. They require adequate care in a specialist rehabilitation system.

Outcomes in patients admitted for rehabilitation with spinal cord or cauda equina lesions following degenerative spinal stenosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate outcome measures and the factors affecting them in patients treated between 1,962 and 2,000 at Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital, Israel. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study included 262 patients with spinal neurological lesions (spinal cord or cauda equina lesions) following degenerative spinal stenosis. Data were collected retrospectively. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the relative mortality risk by the Cox model. Neurological recovery was evaluated by the change in Frankel grades, and factors that affect it were assessed by logistic regression. Associations of length of stay in rehabilitation were analyzed with ANOVA. RESULTS: Median age at lesion onset was 61 years and median survival 17.6 years. Age at spinal neurological lesion onset was found to be the only factor with a significant effect on survival. Of the 148 patients who had Frankel grades A, B, or C on admission, 58% achieved recovery to grades D and E. Frankel grade at admission, age, and spinal neurological level had a significant effect on recovery. The mean length of stay was 99.7 days, and only Frankel grade had a significant effect on length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with spinal stenosis and disabling spinal neurological lesions can achieve significant neurological recovery and survive for many years. They require adequate care in a specialist rehabilitation system.

Recovery of neurologic function following nontraumatic spinal cord lesions in Israel.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To assess neurologic recovery and the manner in which it is affected by various factors following nontraumatic spinal cord lesions (NTSCLs). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: NTSCLs comprise a considerable portion of spinal cord lesions. However, information about neurologic recovery in these lesions is scarce. METHOD: The study sample included 1,085 patients with NTSCL treated between 1962 and 2000 at the premier referral hospital for rehabilitation in Israel. Demographic and clinical data were collected from hospital charts. The degree of neurologic recovery was determined by comparing each patient's Frankel grades of neurologic deficit at first admission to rehabilitation and at discharge from the same hospitalization. The study population was also compared with previously studied 250 patients with traumatic spinal cord lesions (TSCLs). RESULTS: Complete or substantial neurologic recovery (upgrade to Frankel Grade D or E) occurred during rehabilitation in 51% of patients who were Grade A, B, or C on admission, and in 57% of those who were Grade C. Neurologic recovery in NTSCL during rehabilitation was significantly affected by initial Frankel grade and by NTSCL etiology. Age had a borderline effect. Gender, lesion level, and the decade of rehabilitation did not affect recovery. Recovery rate was usually higher in NTSCLs than in TSCLs. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis for neurologic recovery is affected mainly by SCL severity and etiology, and is usually better in NTSCLs than in TSCLs.

Survival after nontraumatic spinal cord lesions in Israel.

OBJECTIVE: To assess survival in patients with nontraumatic spinal cord lesions (SCL). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Spinal department at a rehabilitation hospital in Israel. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with nontraumatic SCL (N=1085) admitted between 1962 and 2000. INTERVENTIONS: Demographic, clinical, and mortality data were collected from hospital charts and from the Population Registry of the Israel Ministry of Internal Affairs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival rates and mortality risk factors. Measures were estimated by using the product limit (Kaplan-Meier) method and the Cox model. RESULTS: Maximal survival time was 57 years. Median accumulated survival time was 24 years. Survival was significantly affected by lesion etiology, age, gender, severity of lesion, and recent decade of lesion onset; survival tended to be shorter in patients with higher level SCL. We found no significant difference between the effects of risk factors on mortality in nontraumatic SCL and traumatic SCL, other than the effect of age at lesion onset, which was a greater risk factor in the latter group. CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate of patients with nontraumatic SCL has improved significantly in Israel in the last decade. The survival rates of a mixed nontraumatic SCL population are similar to those of traumatic SCL but may differ in specific etiologic age groups.