Active clinical trials for "Spinal Cord Injuries"

This study includes male subjects age 45 to 70, who have sustained a traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) at least 10 years prior. Subjects will be interviewed for demographic data, including heart disease risk factors. A blood test for cholesterol levels will be drawn. A CT scan of arteries of the heart will be performed to determine the presence of coronary calcium, a marker of subclinical Coronary Heart Disease. Scoring of Coronary Calcium or Coronary Calcium Score (CCS) is automated by the CT scanner. Each subject's Framingham Risk Score will be calculated; This is an individuals 10 year risk of having a Coronary Heart Disease event (significant symptoms). In addition, it will be determined if subjects are being treated for diagnosed dyslipidemia (high cholesterol) according to the National Cholesterol Educational Program (NCEP) guidelines. The proposed pilot study aims to better understand the problem of Coronary Heart Disease in individuals with Spinal Cord Injury, specifically CCS in SCI, when compared to the general population.

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the extent of neurologic (nerve) impairment in patients with spinal cord injuries and how well the nerves passing down the spine to the heart and blood vessels are working. These nerves are called the descending spinal sympathetic pathway (DSSP) and are important in controlling many functions, including blood pressure. We also wish to examine how injury severity and DSSP function influence blood levels of nor-epinephrine and epinephrine. Nor-epinephrine and epinephrine are hormones released into the blood that are also important in controlling blood pressure. Thus, we will also look at how the effect of the extent of DSSP dysfunction influences heart rate and blood pressure and blood levels of certain enzymes.

This is a trial to test whether treadmill training can be used to improve the "walking" of patients with partial spinal cord injury. While on the treadmill, patients will be partially supported through the use of a specially designed harness attached to an overhead lift (also called Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training, BWSTT). Patients who enroll in this study will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which receives 12 weeks of this specialized treadmill training with regular physical therapy, or to the control group, which receives 12 weeks regular physical therapy. The ability of the patients to "walk" will be measured before and after treatment as well as 6 and 12 months later, using standard tests that examine mobility independence and speed of ambulation. The trial takes place across five sites in the US and Canada. Patients eligible for this trial will have had a traumatic spinal cord injury within 8 weeks of trial entry.

The purpose of this three-year study is to determine the prevalence and incidence of the different types of cardiac disease and ECG abnormalities in SCI patients. Study goals are: (i) delineation of the specific types of heart disease that occur in the SCI population as manifested both pre-clinically and clinically and (ii) demonstration of their association with ECG findings. This will enable validation of scores and algorithms using the inexpensive and widely available ECG for the prevention of heart disease as well as it's early treatment and rehabilitation in SCI patients. The findings will be helpful in demonstrating what cardiological tests are appropriate for the mandated annual evaluation of SCI patients.

This is a randomized, controlled trial to compare supported treadmill ambulation training (STAT) to conventional gait training for improving gait speed, gait endurance, gait efficiency and muscle function in SCI subjects injured more than six months prior to start of training. Each subject will receive twelve weeks of either CGT or STAT, given as 20 minutes of training within a one-hour period per day, five days per week. These subjects will be studied baseline, 4,8 and 12 weeks of training, and three months after the end of training with a battery of tests designed to evaluate the subjects' gait and muscle function.

This study evaluates the effect of the application of a five-layer foam dressing on the sacrum as well as a boot applied on the heels as preventive measures in the development of pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized with spinal cord injury. In order to study their effectiveness in preventing wounds, we will compare the number of wounds that developed on the sacrum and heels in participants with and without preventive treatments. The study will also assess the severity of pressure ulcers in participants with and without preventive treatment if they do develop. Half of the participants will receive the usual standard care for the prevention of pressure ulcers without dressing and boot, while the other half, in additon to standard of care, will also have a preventive dressing on the sacrum as well as Heelmedix boot applied alternately on each foot.

Secondary tethered cord syndrome (STCS) has been diagnosed with signs of progressive deterioration in urological or neuroorthopedic systems following primary tethering surgery. However, there is no convincing urological diagnostic clue for STCS.

This monocentric descriptive study addresses feasibility, safety and benefits of using a specific suspension walking device for patients with severe neurological injuries in the neuroICU of Montpellier University Hospital, France. Analyzes are retrospective on data collected prospectively during standard practice. All adult neurological patients hospitalized for > 48 hours and requiring mechanical ventilation from January 2018 to January 2019 are included, and divided into two groups: beneficiaries of suspension walking during the ICU stay, and non-beneficiaries. Characteristics of the two groups are compared and reasons for not using suspension walking recorded (feasibility). After pooling all suspension walking sessions, changes in clinical parameters during sessions and occurrence of adverse events are described (tolerance).

During typical daily activity, people with established spinal cord injury perform significantly fewer pressure-relief maneuvers than the recommended frequency while overestimating their adherence on recall surveys of pressure relief activity. The rate of pressure ulcer recurrence in individuals with a prior ulcer is 44% in those with surgical repair and as high as 75% in those with non-surgical healing indicating that increased attention to pressure relief is critical for these individuals.This study will evaluate the efficacy of a wheelchair sensor and app-based biofeedback for establishing healthy self-management behaviors (pressure relief maneuvers and daily physical activity). Investigators will enroll 50 participants with paraplegia from spinal cord injury who use a manual wheelchair for mobility and have a history of pressure ulcer that has healed or is six months post-surgical repair. Participants will be randomized into one of two groups: an intervention group that will receive an education intervention and the proposed technology to be used for one year, and a control group that will receive only the education intervention. The primary outcome will be pressure ulcer occurrence over one year. Investigators hypothesize that participants receiving the intervention of biofeedback on their pressure relief activity will have a lower recurrence of pressure ulcer than the education only control group. Secondary outcomes include depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, participation and satisfaction with life. Investigators hypothesize that increasing physical activity will reduce depressive symptoms and improve participation and satisfaction with life.

This non-randomized clinical study will compare pressure injuries and the change in pressure injuries for subjects who are placed on the Freedom Bed compared to those placed on a standard Group II Low Air Loss/Alternating Pressure Mattress in the Ventilator Unit at Northeast Center for Rehabilitation and Brain Injury. Additionally, the incidence of pneumonia, urinary tract infections, circulatory performance, sleep deprivation and caregiver self-perception on performance will be monitored and documented.