Publications by authors named "Julio C Furlan"
Article Synopsis
- Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) commonly experience significant bone loss, but lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) can appear normal or even high, prompting concerns about measurement errors.
- A study analyzed DXA scans from 58 participants with chronic SCI to identify potential errors affecting lumbar spine BMD measurements at baseline and after 2 years.
- Findings showed that 93% of scans had at least one error source, with common issues including facet sclerosis and difficulties in accurately detecting bone edges, suggesting the need to reconsider the use of lumbar spine BMD for assessing fracture risk in SCI patients.
Article Synopsis
- Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) affects about 2% of adults, and there is a lack of standardized outcomes in clinical research, leading to inconsistencies in study results; creating a standardized minimum data set could enhance comparability.* -
- The study used a modified Delphi method to develop a core outcome set (COS), core data elements (CDEs), and a core measurement set (CMS) for DCM research, with input from an international stakeholder group.* -
- In total, 28 outcomes were identified across 6 key domains, culminating in a structured data set that can be utilized in future clinical trials to ensure consistency and improve measurement accuracy in DCM research.*
Objectives: This research work was performed: (1) To assess the accessibility of in-laboratory polysomnography for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI); (2) to evaluate the validity of four screening questionnaires for sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs); and (3) to assess the association between anthropometric features and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI).
Methods: An Environmental scan (E-scan) was performed in the province of Ontario, where all sleep clinics were invited to complete the E-scan survey. Furthermore, a cross-sectional study was performed at a rehabilitation hospital (Canada), where consecutive adults with subacute/chronic (>1 month) SCI were recruited.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates how race/ethnicity affects survival and neurological recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) among 306 participants from the First National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS-1).
- It compares outcomes among African American, non-Hispanic White, and other racial/ethnic groups, finding that all groups had similar survival rates and neurological recovery within the first year after tSCI.
- The research indicates that racial/ethnic differences in tSCI epidemiology exist, but they do not significantly impact survival or recovery outcomes during the initial year post-injury.
Background: Although concomitant traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not infrequently associated with spinal cord injury (SCI), there is relatively scarce information about the effects of concomitant TBI on outcomes after SCI.
Objective: To assess the impact of concomitant mild-to-moderate TBI on survival, and neurological and functional outcomes within the first year after acute traumatic SCI.
Design: Retrospective cohort study.
. Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause significant impairment and disability with an impact on the quality of life for individuals with SCI and their caregivers. Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a sensitive and non-invasive technique to measure muscle activity and has demonstrated great potential in capturing neuromuscular changes resulting from SCI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs), neuropathic pain, spasticity and cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction are common after spinal cord injury (SCI). Prior studies suggest that systemic inflammation following SCI may be implicated in the development of neuropathic pain, spasticity and cardiovascular dysfunction. Given that SRBDs also cause a systemic inflammatory response, we hypothesized that individuals with SCI who develop more severe SRBDs would experience more intense neuropathic pain, more severe spasticity and more significant cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo Claim Cme Credits: Complete the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To compare males and females who were stratified into subgroups corresponding to premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal ages, regarding access to optimal care and their outcomes after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI).
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Setting: Eighteen acute care centers and 13 rehabilitation facilities across Canada.
Study Design: Modified DELPHI Consensus Process.
Objective: To agree a single unifying term and definition. Globally, cervical myelopathy caused by degenerative changes to the spine is known by over 11 different names.
Introduction: Progress in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is hindered by inconsistent measurement and reporting. This impedes data aggregation and outcome comparison across studies. This limitation can be reversed by developing a core measurement set (CMS) for DCM research.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The text discusses a narrative review examining rehabilitation strategies for individuals with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), a common spinal cord issue in adults that often requires surgical intervention.
- The literature emphasizes the importance of combining timely rehabilitation with surgery for better functional outcomes, noting that similar strategies have been effective for other neurological disorders like stroke and spinal cord injury.
- The review suggests specific therapies that could enhance recovery for DCM patients, including locomotor training, arm/hand therapy, and innovative methods like body weight support and virtual/augmented reality therapies.
Study Design: Literature Review (Narrative).
Objective: To introduce the number one research priority for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM): Raising Awareness.
Methods: Raising awareness has been recognized by AO Spine RECODE-DCM as the number one research priority.
Study Design: Literature Review (Narrative).
Objective: To contextualize AO Spine RECODE-DCM research priority number 5: What is the socio-economic impact of DCM? (The financial impact of living with DCM to the individual, their supporters, and society as a whole).
Methods: In this review, we introduce the methodology of health-economic investigation, including potential techniques and approaches.
Objectives: To evaluate the measurement properties of outcome measures currently used in the assessment of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) for clinical research.
Design: Systematic review DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through 4 August 2020.
Eligibility Criteria: Primary clinical research published in English and whose primary purpose was to evaluate the measurement properties or clinically important differences of instruments used in DCM.
This scoping review examined the current trends and characteristics of the clinical research initiatives on the management of acute spinal cord injury. This review included all clinical studies on the acute treatment of spinal cord injury that were registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov website from February 2000 to December 2020.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudy Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Objectives: To evaluate the effects of older age at the time of injury on the individuals' survival and neurological recovery within the first year after acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI).
Setting: United States.
Article Synopsis
- The field of spinal oncology has advanced significantly, with this review analyzing clinical studies from 2000 to 2020 on primary and secondary spinal tumors registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Out of 174 studies, most were interventional and predominantly conducted in North America, focusing mainly on various treatment strategies like stereotactic radiosurgery and chemotherapy.
- The findings reveal a greater emphasis on metastatic spinal tumors over primary tumors, indicating a need for more targeted research to improve outcomes for the rarer primary spinal neoplasms.
Effects on Outcomes of Hyperglycemia in the Hyperacute Stage after Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.
Neurotrauma Rep
January 2021
Hyperglycemia has adverse effects on neuronal recovery after brain injury, but its effects after spinal cord injury (SCI) are understudied. This retrospective cohort study examined the potential effects on outcomes of hyperglycemia in the hyperacute stage after acute traumatic SCI. This study included all individuals enrolled in the National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study 3 (NASCIS-3).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTraumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts spinal and supraspinal pathways, and this process is reflected in changes in surface electromyography (sEMG). sEMG is an informative complement to current clinical testing and can capture the residual motor command in great detail-including in muscles below the level of injury with seemingly absent motor activities. In this comprehensive review, we sought to describe how the sEMG properties are changed after SCI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To comprehensively and critically appraise the clinical benefits and engineering designs of functional electrical stimulation (FES)-rowing for management of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Data Sources: Electronic database searches were conducted in Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Excerpta Medica database, Emcare, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception to May 12, 2020.
Study Selection: Search terms used were synonyms of "spinal cord injury" for Population and "Electric Stimulation (Therapy)/ and rowing" for Intervention.