Comparing multicomponent interventions to improve skin care behaviors and prevent recurrence in veterans hospitalized for severe pressure ulcers.

Objective: To compare a multicomponent motivational interviewing (MI)/self-management (SM) intervention with a multicomponent education intervention to improve skin-protective behaviors and prevent skin worsening in veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) hospitalized for severe pressure ulcers (PrUs).

Design: Single-blinded, prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Six Veterans Affairs SCI centers.

Assessing the feasibility of subepidermal moisture to predict erythema and stage 1 pressure ulcers in persons with spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

Background: Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at high risk for pressure ulcers (PrUs) throughout their lifetime due to decreased mobility, lack of sensation, and other physiological changes. The high prevalence and recurrence rates, and costs associated with PrUs in veterans with SCI indicate the need for a reliable and practical method of detecting early PrUs.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of obtaining biophysical measures of sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) using a handheld dermal phase meter to predict PrUs.

Efficacy of cranial electrotherapy stimulation for neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury: a multi-site randomized controlled trial with a secondary 6-month open-label phase.

Background: Chronic pain is a significant problem for many individuals following spinal cord injury (SCI). Unfortunately, SCI-related neuropathic pain has proven to be largely refractory to analgesic medications and other available treatments. Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) has been effective in managing some types of pain.