Preventing Pneumonia and Other Respiratory Problems in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
About this trial
This is an interventional prevention trial for Spinal Cord Injury focused on measuring Spinal cord injuries, Cough, Peak cough flow, Respiratory therapy, Rehabilitation
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Chronic spinal cord injury that occurred more than 6 months ago
- An impaired ability to cough (cough peak flow less than 300 L/min)
- Oxygen saturation greater than or equal to 95% when awake and not receiving supplemental oxygen
- End-tidal carbon dioxide level less than 43 mm Hg
- Without a fever or other signs of an acute illness for the previous 2 weeks
- Able to learn the treatment protocol and have someone available at home to assist if needed to help set-up and use the equipment
Exclusion Criteria:
- Under 18 years of age
- Currently have a tracheotomy tube
- Have a history of an acute illness in the last 2 weeks
- Have lung disease as seen on chest x-ray that results in a baseline oxygen saturation decreasing below 95% during daytime hours and cannot be normalized by usual way of coughing
- Already utilizing an oximetry protocol
- Have a significant medical complication and psychiatric condition that would interfere with the conduct of the study or interpretation of the study results.
Sites / Locations
- Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Manual and mechanical assisted cough
Incentive spirometry
Individuals will be given a pulse oximeter and taught both manually assisted and mechanically assisted coughing techniques to maximize their cough peak flow. Manually assisted coughing consists of air stacking to deep insufflations. An abdominal thrust is then applied upon glottic opening to augment the cough peak flow. Subjects will also have rapid access to a mechanical in-exsufflator (CoughAssistTM) and will be trained on how to access and use this device. Mechanically assisted coughing (MAC) involves the use of the CoughAssistTM to expand the lungs and then quickly reverse the pressure to rapidly empty the lungs with expiratory (cough) flows of 600 L/m. An abdominal (manual) thrust is applied in conjunction with the negative pressure (exsufflation) to further increase cough.
The active control group will consist of individuals assigned to the oximetry with incentive spirometry group. These individuals will be given a pulse oximeter and an incentive spirometer (AirLife Company) and taught how to use them.