Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Sep 2016
Differential Histopathology and Behavioral Outcomes Eight Weeks After Rat Spinal Cord Injury by Contusion, Dislocation, and Distraction Mechanisms.
The objective of this study was to compare the long-term histological and behavioral outcomes after spinal cord injury (SCI) induced by one of three distinct biomechanical mechanisms: dislocation, contusion, and distraction. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to incur a traumatic cervical SCI by one of these three clinically relevant mechanisms. The injured cervical spines were surgically stabilized, and motor function was assessed for the following 8 weeks. ⋯ After the dislocation injury mechanism, animals displayed no improvement in the grooming test, in contrast to the animals subjected to contusion or distraction injuries. These data indicate that different SCI mechanisms result in distinct patterns of histopathology and behavioral recovery. Understanding this heterogeneity may be important for the future development of therapeutic interventions that target specific neuropathology after SCI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Sep 2016
Tamoxifen administration immediately or 24 hours after spinal cord injury improves locomotor recovery and reduces secondary damage in female rats.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a condition with no available cure. The initial physical impact triggers a cascade of molecular and cellular events that generate a nonpermissive environment for cell survival and axonal regeneration. Spinal cord injured patients often arrive at the clinic hours after the initial insult. ⋯ TAM-treated rats showed significant functional locomotor recovery and improved fine movements when treated immediately or 24 h after SCI. Further, TAM increased white matter preservation and reduced secondary damage caused by astrogliosis, axonal degeneration, and cell death after trauma. These results provide evidence for TAM as a potential therapeutic agent to treat SCI up to 24 h after the trauma.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Sep 2016
ReviewHealth-Related Quality of Life after Pediatric Mild TBI and Concussion: A Systematic Review.
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an emerging method to quantify the consequences of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussion in both clinical practice and research. However, to utilize HRQOL measurements to their full potential in the context of mTBI/concussion recovery, a better understanding of the typical course of HRQOL after these injuries is needed. The objective of this study was to summarize current knowledge on HRQOL after pediatric mTBI/concussion and identify areas in need of further research. ⋯ HRQOL represents an important outcome measure in mTBI/concussion clinical practice and research. The evidence shows that a small but important proportion of patients have diminished HRQOL up to a year or longer post-injury. Further study on this topic is warranted to determine the typical longitudinal progression of HRQOL after pediatric concussion.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Sep 2016
Core Outcomes and common Data Elements in Chronic Subdural Haematoma (CODE-CSDH): A systematic review of the literature focusing on baseline and peri-operative care data elements.
Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is an increasingly common subtype of head injury, especially in the elderly population. The optimization of treatment strategies has been hampered by the collection of heterogeneous outcome measures and data elements, precluding cross-study comparisons. This study aimed to quantify the heterogeneity of data elements in the pre-operative, operative, and post-operative phases of care, and build the basis for the development of a set of common data elements (CDEs) for CSDH. ⋯ There was variable reporting of surgical technique and post-operative care; 32 studies (31.4%) made no mention of whether the operations were performed under general or local anesthetic. This study, a part of the Core Outcomes and Common Data Elements in CSDH (CODE-CSDH) project, confirms and quantifies the heterogeneity of data elements collected and reported in CSDH studies to date. It establishes the basis for the consensus-based development of a set of common data elements, facilitating robust cross-study comparisons and resulting improvements in patient outcomes.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Sep 2016
THE EFFECT OF CRANIOPLASTY ON CEREBRAL HEMODYNAMICS AS MEASURED BY PERFUSION CT AND DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY.
Cranioplasties are performed to protect the brain and correct cosmetic defects, but there is growing evidence that this procedure may result in neurological improvement. We prospectively studied cranioplasties performed at our hospital over a 5-year period. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and Barthel index were recorded prior to and within 72 h after the cranioplasty. ⋯ With regard to the TCDS, the ΔLR was greater on the defective side prior the surgery in those patients who showed improvement (1.295 vs. -0.714; p = 0.002). Cranioplasty resulted in clinical improvement in 40% of the patients, with an increase in the post-surgical CBF. The larger variations in the LR when the patient is moved from the sitting to the supine position might predict the clinical improvement.