Effect of hypovolemia on traumatic spinal cord injury

Spinal Cord, 2016 · DOI: 10.1038/sc.2016.26 · Published: March 8, 2016

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury often leads to secondary damage that worsens the initial injury. This study explores how hypovolemia (reduced blood volume) affects recovery after a traumatic spinal cord injury. Researchers induced spinal cord injuries in rats and then reduced their blood volume to simulate hypovolemia. They then assessed motor function over two weeks. The study found that hypovolemia negatively impacted motor function recovery after spinal cord injury in rats.

Study Duration

14 days

Participants

20 adult male Wistar rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Spinal cord contusion associated with hypovolemia had a negative influence on functional outcomes of the spinal cord injury.
2
Animals with hypovolemia after spinal cord contusion had lower scores in behavioral tests (inclined plane test and motor assessment), presenting a slower recovery of the motor function.
3
The group of animals with hypovolemia after traumatic spinal cord injury had slower recovery and lower intensity in behavioral tests.

Research Summary

This study experimentally evaluated the effect of hypovolemia in acute traumatic spinal cord injury in rats. The study found that hypovolemia after traumatic spinal cord injury had a negative effect on the functional assessment of the animals. The researchers concluded that traumatic spinal cord injury associated with hypovolemia resulted in higher neurological deficit and lower functional recovery, according to behavioral testing.

Practical Implications

Clinical Consideration

Maintaining blood pressure should be considered as a preventive measure to protect the spinal cord after traumatic injury and prevent the expansion of secondary injury.

Research Direction

Further studies with more specific and sophisticated methodologies are needed to assess the hypovolemia effects on traumatic spinal cord injury at vascular, histological and molecular levels.

Therapeutic Approach

The treatment of traumatic spinal cord injuries should approach not only the injured vertebral segment but also sectors with no direct connection with the morphological spinal column, which have an important role in the pathophysiology of his injury; among these, there is the maintenance of blood pressure.

Study Limitations

1
Arterial blood pressure was not monitored directly.
2
The study used only behavioral tests for evaluation.
3
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not be directly applicable to humans.

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