Deborah A. Crane

Prevalence of Testosterone Deficiency After Spinal Cord Injury

To define the prevalence of testosterone deficiency in persons with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) and to identify factors associated with this deficiency.

Weight gain following spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

Abstract Study design Retrospective chart review. Objective To define the temporal course of weight gain in persons with new spinal cord injury (SCI), and to identify predictors of weight gain in this population. Setting A United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) SCI Unit. Methods A retrospective chart review in a VA SCI Unit was conducted. Participants (n = 85) included all persons with new SCI completing initial rehabilitation at the center between 1998 and 2006. Outcome measures were mean change in body mass index (BMI) between rehabilitation admission and final follow-up, time of greatest BMI change, and distribution of participants by BMI classification. These measures were also examined relative to SCI level, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade, primary mode of mobility, and age at rehabilitation admission. Results Mean BMI increased by 2.3 kg/m2 between rehabilitation admission (mean 45 days post-injury) and final follow-up (mean 5 years post-injury). The distribution of participants shifted from lower BMI classifications at rehabilitation admission to higher BMI classifications at final follow-up. For participants transitioning from normal to overweight or obese, the greatest increase occurred during the first year after acute rehabilitation. Neurological level, impairment category, primary mode of mobility, and age at rehabilitation admission did not significantly predict BMI change. BMI at rehabilitation admission correlated significantly with BMI at final follow-up (P < 0.0005). Conclusions These findings confirm a significant increase in BMI after new SCI and suggest that persons with new SCI are at greatest weight gain risk during the first year following acute rehabilitation.

Use of on-demand video to provide patient education on spinal cord injury

Abstract Background/objective Persons with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) have a high lifetime need for ongoing patient education to reduce the risk of serious and costly medical conditions. We have addressed this need through monthly in-person public education programs called SCI Forums. More recently, we began videotaping these programs for streaming on our website to reach a geographically diverse audience of patients, caregivers, and providers. Design/methods We compared information from the in-person forums to that of the same forums shown streaming on our website during a 1-year period. Results Both the in-person and Internet versions of the forums received high overall ratings from individuals who completed evaluation forms. Eighty-eight percent of online evaluators and 96% of in-person evaluators reported that they gained new information from the forum; 52 and 64% said they changed their attitude, and 61 and 68% said they would probably change their behavior or take some kind of action based on information they learned. Ninety-one percent of online evaluators reported that video is better than text for presenting this kind of information. Conclusion Online video is an accessible, effective, and well-accepted way to present ongoing SCI education and can reach a wider geographical audience than in-person presentations.

Depression treatment preferences after acute traumatic spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE To examine preferences for depression treatment modalities and settings and predictors of treatment preference in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN Cross-sectional surveys. SETTING Rehabilitation inpatient services. PARTICIPANTS Persons with traumatic SCI (N=183) undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression scale, history of psychiatric diagnoses and treatments, and a depression treatment preference survey. RESULTS Among inpatients with SCI (28% had Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥10 indicating probable major depression), a physical exercise program was the most preferred treatment option (78% somewhat or very likely to try) followed by antidepressants prescribed by a primary care provider (63%) and individual counseling in a medical or rehabilitation clinic (62%). All modalities were preferred over group counseling. Although not statistically significant, more depressed individuals stated a willingness to try antidepressants and counseling than nondepressed individuals. Subjects preferred treatment in a medical/rehabilitation setting over a mental health setting. Those with a prior diagnosis of depression and a history of antidepressant use were significantly more willing to take an antidepressant. Age ≥40 years was a significant predictor of willingness to receive individual counseling. CONCLUSIONS Treatment preferences and patient education are important factors when choosing a depression treatment modality for patients with SCI. The results suggest that antidepressants, counseling, and exercise may be promising components of depression treatment in this population, particularly if they are integrated into medical or rehabilitation care.

Benefits of an exercise wellness program after spinal cord injury

Objective: To describe the initial benefits of a structured group exercise program on exercise frequency and intensity, perceived health, pain, mood, and television watching habits. Design: Pre-test/post-test. Participants/methods: Eighty-nine persons with SCI participated voluntarily in a no-cost, twice weekly physical therapy group exercise class over 3 months. Forty-five persons completed pre- and post-participation interviews on exercise frequency and intensity, perceived health, pain, mood, sleep, and television watching habits. Results: Mean participant age of the respondents was 43.82 years. 49% had AIS C or D injuries, 24% had AIS A,B paraplegia, 9% had AIS A,B C1-C4 and 18% had AIS A,B C5–C8. 75.6% of participants were male and 84.4% had a traumatic etiology as the cause of their SCI. There was a significant improvement in days of strenuous and moderate exercise as well as health state. There was an average decrease in pain scores, depression scores, number of hours spent watching television, and days/week of mild exercise. Conclusion: Participation in structured, small group exercise as a component of a wellness program after SCI shows promise for improving regular exercise participation and health state, but benefits may also occur across other areas of health and function including mood, pain, and hours spent watching television. Further follow-up is needed to determine whether improvements can be maintained after program completion and across all neurological levels.

Cauda equina syndrome resulting from lumbar arachnoiditis after intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage: a case report.

Spinal arachnoiditis is a known but very rare late complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Since 1943, 17 cases of spinal arachnoiditis after intracranial hemorrhage have been reported internationally. The vast majority of these cases were related to aneurysmal SAH. All previously published cases have involved spinal arachnoiditis at the cervical and thoracic levels. In this report, we present an adult woman with lumbar spinal arachnoiditis causing cauda equina syndrome as a result of posterior circulation aneurysmal SAH. We believe this is the first reported case of this specific condition causing cauda equina syndrome.

Intractable pruritus after traumatic spinal cord injury.

Abstract Background: This report describes a young woman with incomplete traumatic cervical spinal cord injury and intractable pruritus involving her dorsal forearm. Method: Case report. Findings: Anatomic distribution of the pruritus corresponded to the dermatomal distribution of her level of spinal cord injury and vertebral fusion. Symptoms were attributed to the spinal cord injury and possible cervical root injury. Pruritus was refractory to all treatments, including topical lidocaine, gabapentin, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, intravenous Bier block, stellate ganglion block, and acupuncture. Conclusions: Further understanding of neuropathic pruritus is needed. Diagnostic workup of intractable pruritus should include advanced imaging to detect ongoing nerve root compression. If diagnostic studies suggest radiculopathy, epidural steroid injection should be considered. Because the autonomic nervous system may be involved in complex chronic pain or pruritic syndromes, sympatholysis via such techniques as stellate ganglion block might be effective.

Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Stroke Rehabilitation: A Pilot Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial

STUDY OBJECTIVES Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) predicts poor functional outcome after stroke and increases the risk for recurrent stroke. Less is known about continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on stroke recovery. METHODS In a pilot randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, adult stroke rehabilitation patients were assigned to auto-titrating or sham CPAP without diagnostic testing for OSA. Change in Functional Independence Measure (FIM), a measure of disability, was assessed between rehabilitation admission and discharge. RESULTS Over 18 months, 40 patients were enrolled and 10 withdrew from the study: 7 from active and 3 from sham CPAP (p > 0.10). For the remaining 30 patients, median duration of CPAP use was 14 days. Average CPAP use was 3.7 h/night, with at least 4 h nightly use among 15 patients. Adherence was not influenced by treatment assignment or stroke severity. In intention-to-treat analyses (n = 40), the median change in FIM favored active CPAP over sham but did not reach statistical significance (34 versus 26, p = 0.25), except for the cognitive component (6 versus 2.5, p = 0.04). The on-treatment analyses (n = 30) yielded similar results (total FIM: 32 versus 26, p = 0.11; cognitive FIM: 6 versus 2, p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS A sham-controlled CPAP trial among stroke rehabilitation patients was feasible in terms of recruitment, treatment without diagnostic testing and adequate blinding-though was limited by study retention and CPAP adherence. Despite these limitations, a trend towards a benefit of CPAP on recovery was evident. Tolerance and adherence must be improved before the full benefits of CPAP on recovery can be assessed in larger trials.