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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing remains controversial due to the debate about overdetection and overtreatment. Given the lack of published data regarding PSA testing rates in the population with spinal cord injury (SCI) within the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), there is concern for potential disparities and overtesting in this patient population. In this study, we sought to identify and evaluate national PSA testing rates in veterans with SCI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine the combined effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation-resistance training (NMES-RT) and functional electrical stimulation-lower extremity cycling (FES-LEC) compared to passive movement training (PMT) and FES-LEC in adults with SCI on (1) oxygen uptake (VO), insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal in adults with SCI; (2) Metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers; (3) skeletal muscle, intramuscular fat (IMF) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) cross-sectional areas (CSAs).
Materials And Methods: Thirty-three participants with chronic SCI (AIS A-C) were randomized to 24 weeks of NMES-RT + FES or PMT + FES. The NMES-RT + FES group underwent 12 weeks of evoked surface NMES-RT using ankle weights followed by an additional 12 weeks of progressive FES-LEC.
Two persons with chronic motor complete spinal cord injury (SCI) were implanted with percutaneous spinal cord epidural stimulation (SCES) leads to enable motor control below the injury level (NCT04782947). Through a period of temporary followed by permanent SCES implantation, spinal mapping was conducted primarily to optimize configurations enabling volitional control of movement and training of standing and stepping as a secondary outcome. In both participants, SCES enabled voluntary increased muscle activation and movement below the injury and decreased assistance during exoskeleton-assisted walking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Long pulse width stimulation (LPWS; 120-150 ms) has the potential to stimulate denervated muscles and to restore muscle size in denervated people with spinal cord injury (SCI). We will determine if testosterone treatment (TT)+LPWS would increase skeletal muscle size, leg lean mass and improve overall metabolic health in persons with SCI with denervation. We hypothesise that the 1-year TT+LPWS will upregulate protein synthesis pathways, downregulate protein degradation pathways and increase overall mitochondrial health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuroRehabilitation
November 2022
After spinal cord injury (SCI) physical activity levels decrease drastically, leading to numerous secondary health complications. Exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) may be one way to improve physical activity for adults with SCI and potentially alleviate secondary health complications. The effects of EAW may be limited, however, since exoskeletons induce passive movement for users who cannot volitionally contribute to walking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) is used to treat knee osteoarthritis; however, mechanistic evidence of PRP effectiveness for pain relief is limited.
Objective: To assess molecular biomarkers and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in synovial fluid during PRP treatment of the osteoarthritic knee joint.
Design: Single blinded, randomized, placebo controlled pilot study.
Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil
March 2021
Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in several ways, most notably by causing impairment of colonic motility and sphincter dysfunction. Altered GI function in the setting of neurological injury-also known as "neurogenic bowel dysfunction" (NBD) -strongly impacts the quality of life (QOL) of individuals living with SCI. Characterizing the severity of NBD, its impact on an individual's QOL, and which interventions have been successful or ineffective is integral to the routine care of people living with SCI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTop Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil
March 2021
The collaboration with individuals regarding their sexual health is an important component of patient-centered health care. However, talking about sexual health in primary care settings is an area not fully addressed as a result of time limitations, medical task prioritization, awareness or knowledge deficit, and discomfort with the topic of sexuality. A critical shift in professional focus from disease and medical illness to the promotion of health and wellness is a prerequisite to address sexual health in the primary care setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are more than 300,000 estimated cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) in the United States, and approximately 27,000 of these are Veterans. Immobilization from SCI results in adverse secondary medical conditions and reduced quality of life. Veterans with SCI who have completed rehabilitation after injury and are unable to ambulate receive a wheelchair as standard of care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD), previously termed neurogenic bladder dysfunction, is a common secondary complication of spinal cord injury (SCI). It is associated with significant morbidity, reduced quality of life, increased health care costs, and mortality. Primary care providers (PCPs) play an important role in optimizing urohealth over the life span.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study was to examine variables predictive of post-SCI return to employment and current employment among a large cohort of veterans with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) treated within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) SCI System of Care. Cross sectional analysis of data obtained during in-person baseline interviews and follow-up phone interviews. Seven SCI Centers within Veteran Affairs Medical Centers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, represented landmark legislation and led to significant improvements in accessibility, such as prohibiting discrimination based on disability in public life, including employment. Now 30 years later, however, employment rates for persons with disabilities, including spinal cord injury, remain low. This article discusses why employment is so important for persons with spinal cord injury and challenges that remain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpinal cord epidural stimulation (SCES) exhibits a rehabilitation potential of restoring locomotion in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, this is linked to an intensive rehabilitation locomotion approach, which is impractical to apply among a large clinical SCI population. We, hereby, propose a rehabilitation approach of using SCES to enhance motor control during exoskeletal-assisted walking (EAW).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at heightened risks of developing unfavorable cardiometabolic consequences due to physical inactivity. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) and surface neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)-resistance training (RT) have emerged as effective rehabilitation methods that can exercise muscles below the level of injury and attenuate cardio-metabolic risk factors. Our aims are to determine the impact of 12 weeks of NMES + 12 weeks of FES-lower extremity cycling (LEC) compared to 12 weeks of passive movement + 12 weeks of FES-LEC on: (1) oxygen uptake (VO), insulin sensitivity, and glucose disposal in adults with SCI; (2) skeletal muscle size, intramuscular fat (IMF), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT); and (3) protein expression of energy metabolism, protein molecules involved in insulin signaling, muscle hypertrophy, and oxygen uptake and electron transport chain (ETC) activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo estimate the net monetary benefit of an individual placement and support-based supported employment program for Veterans with spinal cord injuries. Economic evaluation comparing a supported employment program to treatment as usual, using cost and quality-of-life data from a longitudinal study of Veterans with spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injury centers in the Veterans Health Administration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction is common in individuals with spinal cord injury and disorders (SCI/D). The purpose of this study was to identify specific demographic, neurologic, and urologic factors associated with different bladder management methods (BMMs) in individuals with SCI/D.
Methods: A retrospective review of BMMs at a large Veterans Affairs SCI/D center was performed to identify associated risk factors including demographics, neurologic factors, and urologic factors.
Spinal cord injury results in multiple secondary comorbidities, which vary based on injury severity and other characteristics. Persons with spinal cord injury are at lifelong risk for many complications, most of which are at least partially preventable with proper medical care. The Veterans Health Administration Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI&D) System of Care offers these evaluations to all persons in their registries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Charcot spinal arthropathy (CSA) is an infrequent but potentially devastating complication after spinal cord injury.
Case Presentation: We report a case of a man with longstanding T3 complete (AIS A) paraplegia who developed severe CSA with spine disruption and aortic displacement.
Discussion: Acute management of this patient is described along with both conservative and surgical management considerations and challenges as described in other reports.
Study Design: This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a concentrated PACs compound (36 mg/capsule), in veterans with SCI and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) requiring intermittent catheterization (IC) over a 15-day period.
Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of concentrated proanthocyanidins (PACs) in the cranberry supplement ellura® on bacteriuria, leukocyturia, and subjective urine quality in catheter-dependent veterans with SCI.
Setting: Spinal cord injury center (outpatient clinic and inpatient unit).
Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil
August 2018
To determine the relationship between medical and mental health comorbidities in a large cohort of veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI). Data were collected from interviews and electronic medical records of veterans with SCI ( = 1,047) who received care at 7 geographically diverse SCI centers within the Department of Veterans Affairs across the country (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01141647).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) is a highly prevalent problem after spinal cord injury, with potential for significant impact on health and quality of life. The international standards to document remaining autonomic function after SCI were developed to standardize communication between professionals regarding neurogenic bowel and other autonomic function after SCI. To improve understanding of the bowel subsection, illustrative cases are presented.
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