Spinal Cord Injury Research

KEY FINDING: The S4-5LT examination demonstrated the highest agreement and strongest correlation with AIS determination (k = 0.89, P < 0.01, r = 0.84, P < 0.01).

KEY FINDING: HRV measurements were generally stable across the day and during the inpatient rehabilitation period in patients with acute SCI.

KEY FINDING: The prevalence of SCI-related osteoporosis among the participants was 43.8%.

KEY FINDING: Patients who received flap surgery (FP) had significantly longer hospital stays than those treated medically (NFP), with an average length of stay of 148 days compared to 111 days (P = 0.01).

KEY FINDING: Quality of life significantly improved after the exoskeleton training period, as indicated by the SF-36ww sum score.

KEY FINDING: Functional independence, as measured by the SCIM III, significantly correlated with sitting balance, as measured by the FIST.

KEY FINDING: Independence significantly improved for all severities and levels of injury, except for AIS A and B patients at upper cervical levels.

KEY FINDING: Age increased odds for CMD diagnosis by 1.05 per year (P = 0.02) and was directly related to elevated body mass index (BMI, β = 0.42, P < 0.05), fasting glucose (β = 0.58, P < 0.01), and higher systolic blood pressure (β = 0.31, P < 0.10).

KEY FINDING: Significant differences were found in pen pressure profiles in SCI patients between the initial assessment and after 4 weeks, indicating improvement.

KEY FINDING: Incomplete cervical level injury was the most common injury type, spinal stenosis was the most common diagnostic etiology and central cord syndrome was the most common clinical syndrome.