Chronic constipation in hemiplegic patients.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of bowel dysfunction in hemiplegic patients, and its relationship with the site of neurological lesion, physical immobilization and pharmacotherapy.

Methods: Ninety consecutive hemiplegic patients and 81 consecutive orthopedic patients were investigated during physical motor rehabilitation in the same period, in the same center and on the same diet. All subjects were interviewed >= 3 mo after injury using a questionnaire inquiring about bowel habits before injury and at the time of the interview.

Pressure sores and blood and serum dysmetabolism in spinal cord injury patients.

Study Design: Spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with pressure sores were studied before and after surgical intervention for ulcer healing and compared with matched SCI patients without sores and with patients with pressure sores and other diseases.

Objective: To analyse the relationship between pressure sores and anaemia and serum protein alteration in SCI patients. To study the pathogenesis of these alterations and suggest appropriate therapy.

One year follow up of spinal cord injury patients using a reciprocating gait orthosis: preliminary report.

Objective: To examine the influence of social, physical and psychological factors in determining the usage/non usage of reciprocating gait orthosis (RGO) in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients.

Design: Prospective clinical trial.

Setting: A large rehabilitation hospital in Rome, Italy.

Autonomic dysreflexia during urodynamics.

Unlabelled: Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is an acute syndrome characterised by inappropriate and massive autonomic response that occurs in patients with spinal cord injury above the T6 level.

Aims: to evaluate the incidence of AD during cystometry and the relationships with clinical and urodynamic features.

Patients And Methods: Forty-eight spinal cord injury patients were studied by neurological and urological examination and urodynamic evaluation with concurrent recording of blood pressure, heart rate and symptoms and signs of AD.

Sequential treatment of chronic constipation in paraplegic subjects.

Chronic constipation is the main gastrointestinal complaint of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, and has a significant effect on patients' lives, concerning nursing dependence, morbidity and complications. Many therapies have been proposed to treat chronic severe constipation, most of them with limited effect or being unpredictable in their effect or being expensive or very radical. Ten spinal cord injury patients have been submitted to a therapeutic protocol based on a high residue diet, a standardised water intake, and on the use of a sequential schedule of evacuating stimuli.