Spinal Cord Series and Cases最新文献

Introduction

NeuroAiD (MLC601 & MLC901)’s neuroprotective capabilities include limiting exaggerated calcium influx, decreasing excitotoxicity, reducing oxidative stress, and preventing glutamate-induced cell death. It has also been shown to facilitate synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity. However, its clinical efficacy has primarily been studied in the context of brain injuries, particularly stroke. NeuroAiD’s potential application in SCI remains largely untapped.

Case presentation

A 34-year-old male presented with C4 complete tetraplegia. Following surgical decompression and initial inpatient rehabilitation, he started consuming MLC901 two capsules three times daily at month 4 post injury for 6 months. He regained considerable neurological recovery following the supplementation. Apart from the improvement in the neurological level of injury, the patient exhibited motor recovery beyond the initial zone of partial preservation up to 24 months post injury.

Discussion

Our findings align with a recent animal study demonstrating MLC901’s potential to downregulate Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), a molecule known to increase vascular permeability and exacerbate tissue edema and infarction. In another animal study involving stroke-affected mice, MLC901 demonstrates the ability to promote neurological recovery by regulating the expression of proteins mediating angiogenesis, such as hypoxic inducible factor 1α, erythropoietin, angiopoietins 1 and 2, as well as VEGF. The anecdotal findings from this case report offer preliminary insights into NeuroAiD’s potential in facilitating recovery during post-acute and chronic phases of severe SCI, necessitating further exploration.

Study design: Qualitative exploratory OBJECTIVES: Rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-long process involving healthcare in a variety of settings, including facilities lacking SCI-specific services (i.e., non-SCI-specialized centers). Activity-based therapy (ABT) is a neurorestorative approach involving intensive, task-specific movement practice below the injury level. This study explored the existing knowledge, perceptions, and implementation of ABT among physical and occupational therapists working in non-SCI-specialized centers.

Setting: Canadian hospitals and community clinics DESIGN/METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Canadian therapists who worked at non-SCI-specialized centers and treated at least one patient with SCI within the last 18 months. The Theoretical Domains Framework was used to develop interview questions that queried therapists' experiences in delivering SCI rehabilitation, their understanding of ABT and experience with its implementation. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using interpretive description.

Results: Four physical therapists and three occupational therapists, from diverse settings (i.e., acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, long-term care, outpatient rehabilitation, rural outpatient clinic) participated. Three themes were identified: (1) Available knowledge, resources and therapy time in non-SCI-specialized centers challenge ABT implementation, (2) How current therapy practices in non-SCI-specialized centers align with ABT and (3) Desire for ABT knowledge. Although participants were not familiar with the term ABT, it was identified that they were unknowingly incorporating some components of ABT into their practice. Participants expressed a keenness to learn more about ABT.

Conclusion: Current knowledge and implementation of ABT in non-SCI-specialized centers is limited. Tailoring ABT education to therapists at non-SCI-specialized centers may increase ABT implementation.

Study design: Anonymous online survey OBJECTIVES: To investigate the priorities, needs and willingness to adopt nerve stimulation devices for managing neurogenic bladder and bowel function in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in Australia.

Setting: Online survey of people living with SCI in Australia.

Methods: This anonymous online survey used Qualtrics and was advertised via standard communication channels, such as advocacy groups representing the SCI community in Australia, social media, attending SCI sporting events and by word-of-mouth.

Results: Responses from 62 individuals (32% female, 68% male) were included. Bladder emptying through urethra without catheter was the highest priority for bladder function. Reducing time required for bowel routines and constipation were the top priorities regarding bowel function. The highest concern for internal/implanted devices was the 4% chance of device surgical removal, while wearing wires under the clothes was the main concern for external devices. 53% of respondents were willing to trial an implanted nerve stimulation device, while 70% would trial an external device to improve and gain independence in bladder and bowel function.

Conclusion: The findings of this study highlighted the potential role in which nerve stimulation can have in addressing bladder and bowel dysfunction in people with SCI, and have also identified that there was a need for Australian physiotherapists to evaluate their role in bladder and bowel dysfunction. Results from this study can help guide further research in nerve stimulation devices for bladder and bowel dysfunction in people with SCI.

Sponsorship: n/a.

Introduction: Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) refers to a rare severe acquired spinal cord inflammation, with a challenging diagnostic work-up and treatment.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 42-year-old patient who presented with loss of temperature and pain sensation beneath the C5 dermatome in her left side and reported a history of a possible respiratory tract illness 10 days ago. Within 2 days, clinical worsening was noted, compatible with Brown-Sequard syndrome. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed a T2 sequence abnormal signal from level C4 to T3 and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies showed only a mild pleocytosis mononuclear type. Extensive CSF and blood tests revealed only high Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM and IgG titers. Treatment with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone and oral azithromycin were administrated and the patient recovered completely within two months.

Discussion: We would like to highlight the importance for physicians to consider M. pneumoniae in their differential diagnosis as a potential cause when encountering patients with symptoms of ATM and inflammatory Brown-Sequard syndrome.

Study design: Observational study.

Objectives: To evaluate the perceptions of patients requiring a tracheostomy tube and to identify possible different perceptions in critically ill patients with tracheostomy tubes who have acute (ASCI) or chronic spinal cord injuries (CSCI).

Setting: Medical and surgical intensive care units (ICU) and intermediate care unit of the BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil Bochum, Germany.

Methods: Patients who met the inclusion criteria completed a 25-item questionnaire on two consecutive days regarding their experiences and perceptions in breathing, coughing, pain, speaking, swallowing, and comfort of the tracheostomy tube.

Results: A total of 51 persons with ASCI (n = 31) and CSCI (n = 20) were included with a mean age of 53 years. Individuals with ASCI reported significantly more frequent pain and swallowing problems as compared to individuals with CSCI (p ≤ 0.014) at initial assessment. There were no differences between ASCI and CSCI reported with respect to speaking and overall comfort.

Conclusions: It is necessary to regularly assess the perceptions of critically ill patients with tracheostomy tubes with ASCI or CSCI in the daily ICU care routine. We were able to assess these perceptions in different categories. For the future, evaluating the perception of individuals with SCI and a tracheostomy should be implemented to their daily routine care.

Trial registration: DRKS00022073.

Introduction: Due to activity limitations and physical environmental barriers, low remunerative employment is a challenging issue for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and relevant rehabilitation personnel. Since work opportunities in digital fields have continued to emerge, this study aims to report and discuss the possibility of using digital working as a strategy for increasing remunerative employment in people with SCI.

Case presentation: We report live experiences of four people with SCI in Thailand who have digital works with different types of jobs (image segmentation and identification for artificial intelligence development, online merchant, online streamer, cryptocurrency investor), different required digital skills (basic or intermediate digital skills), different employment statuses (employee or owner), and different incomes (from 50 to 200 USD/month). We also discuss advantages and potential risks of digital working for people with SCI and propose a model for care providers to facilitate safe digital work as a means of increasing remunerative opportunities for people with SCI.

Conclusion: There is increasing interest in becoming involved in various types of digital work among people with SCI. Digital working could overcome many of the physical barriers; however, it also potentially introduces some potential economic and health risks for people with SCI. To minimize those risks, healthcare providers of people with SCI should prepare to develop the appropriate knowledge and attitudes regarding digital working and to learn how to properly facilitate digital working to increase remunerative employment in people with SCI.

Study design: A prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and ongoing pressure injury (PI).

Objectives: The main aim was to perform a cost-utility analysis (CUA) alongside the RCT comparing regular care to regular care with additional videoconference consultations. Secondary aims were to assess costs and greenhouse gas emission related to transportation in the two study groups.

Setting: Two spinal cord units in Norway.

Methods: Participants were allocated to a regular care group (RCG) and a regular care group with additional videoconference (VCG), in a 1-year follow-up between 2016 and 2018. Costs were prospectively collected, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data were collected at baseline and 12 months. The outcome was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), derived from the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire. Results are reported as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), expressed as the cost per additional QALY gained. Transportation related costs and environmental emissions were compared by t-tests.

Results: There were 56 participants included, 28 in each group. Of these 27 in the VCG and 26 in the RCG completed. Three participants died. The mean cost per patient was € 8819 in the VCG and € 3607 in the RCG, with 0.1 QALYs gained in the VCG. No significant differences were identified regarding HRQoL or secondary outcomes.

Conclusion: The VCG costs € 5212 more for an additional 0.1 QALYs, giving an ICER of € 52,120 per QALY. No significant differences were found regarding transportation-related costs, or emission of greenhouse gases.

Trial registration: www.

Clinicaltrials: gov ; NCT02800915, TeleSCIpi. CRISTIN.no. https://app.cristin.no/projects/show.jsf?id=545284 . Sunnaas Rehabilitation hospital's web page, available at https://www.sunnaas.no/fag-og-forskning/fagstoff/sar .

Study design: Cross-sectional, analytical study design using a conveneient sampling strategy.

Objectives: To examine the interrelationship between pain, life satisfaction and indices of negative mental well-being amongst the traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) population.

Setting: Western Cape Rehabilitation Center in Cape Town, South Africa.

Methods: Participants (n = 70) were adults (mean age of 36.3, SD = 9.2) with TSCI. Participants completed the following instruments: 10 satisfaction items from the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version, short forms of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, a one-item measure of pain intensity taken from the International Spinal Cord Injury Pain Basic Data Set and the interference scale of the Brief Pain Inventory.

Results: Correlational analysis (Pearson r) demonstrated that all the indices of mental well-being as well as the two indices of pain was significantly negatively related to life satisfaction. In addition, life satisfaction mediated the relationship between pain intensity and depression as well as anxiety. Life satisfaction only mediated the relationship between pain interference and depression but not anxiety.

Conclusions: An improvement in life satisfaction may lead to improvements in pain interference, pain intensity as well as psychological distress, amongst persons suffering from TSCI Future research should focus on assessing measures/treatment which may improve life satisfaction in the TSCI population.

Introduction: Patients with spinal cord injuries/disorders (SCI/D) often suffer from bladder dysfunction, commonly referred to as neurogenic bladder or neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). Standard urologic evaluation and management help to minimize complications such as vesicoureteral reflux, urinary tract infection, and nephrolithiasis. However, we have further encountered patients with more complex issues, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), bilateral nephrectomies, and urinary diversion/augmentation surgeries. Of particular interest, there is a lack of standardized guidance for bladder management in SCI/D patients with ESRD. These patients are at high risk for urological complications and would benefit from codified bladder management strategies.

Case presentation: In this article, we present eleven unique cases of NLUTD with associated ESRD and discuss recommendations utilizing simple and commonly available clinical interventions.

Discussion: The inherently small population size of SCI/D patients with NLUTD and ESRD makes detailing a large sample size case series difficult. Future studies must aim to include a larger sample size as able, however, to better determine standardized protocols for chronic bladder management in SCI/D patients with NLUTD and ESRD. Experiences from this small case series are offered for consideration.

Study design: Cross-sectional study.

Objectives: A spinal cord injury (SCI) can compromise the ability to maintain sufficient balance control during activities in an upraised position. The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between balance control and muscle strength and muscle activation in the lower extremities in persons with incomplete SCI (iSCI).

Setting: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Norway.

Methods: Thirteen men and two women with iSCI and 15 healthy, matched controls were included. Performance of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) short version (7 items) was used to indicate balance control. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was performed to measure isometric muscle strength in thigh muscles (knee extension/flexion), while surface electromyography (EMG) was measured from M. Vastus Lateralis and M. Biceps Femoris. The relative activation of each muscle during each of the BBS tasks was reported as the percentage of the maximal activation during the MVC (%EMG_max).

Results: The iSCI participants had a significantly lower BBS sum score and up to 40% lower muscle strength in knee- flexion and extension compared to the matched healthy controls. They also exhibited a significantly higher %EMG_max, i.e. a higher muscle activation, during most of the balance tests. Univariate regression analysis revealed a significant association between balance control and mean values of %EMGmax in Biceps Femoris, averaged over the seven BBS tests.

Conclusions: The participants with iSCI had poorer balance control, reduced thigh muscle strength and a higher relative muscle activation in their thigh muscles, during balance-demanding activities.