Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2017
Impact of Therapy on Recovery during Rehabilitation in Patients with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.
Evidence-based planning of rehabilitation interventions is important to improving cost efficiency while maintaining patient and system outcomes. This article aims to explore the relationship between rehabilitation therapy, functional outcome, bed utilization, and care costs after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). A retrospective review of 262 persons with tSCI admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility from 2005-2012 was conducted. ⋯ Hypothetically increasing therapy intensity by 50% and 100% resulted in average motor FIM efficiency gain ranging between 0.04-0.07 and 0.1-0.17, respectively, across injury groups. The hypothetical changes resulted in reductions in the average LOS and bed utilization rate, translating to cost savings of $20,000 and $50,000 (2011 CAD) for the +50% and +100% scenarios, respectively. The results highlight the importance of monitoring functional change throughout rehabilitation after tSCI and the need for customized therapeutic strategies.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2017
Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Registries: Improving Care across the SCI Care Continuum by Identifying Knowledge Gaps.
Timely access and ongoing delivery of care and therapeutic interventions is needed to maximize recovery and function after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). To ensure these decisions are evidence-based, access to consistent, reliable, and valid sources of clinical data is required. The Access to Care and Timing Model used data from the Rick Hansen SCI Registry (RHSCIR) to generate a simulation of healthcare delivery for persons after tSCI and to test scenarios aimed at improving outcomes and reducing the economic burden of SCI. ⋯ Knowledge gaps related to structures (e.g., protocols) and processes (e.g., costs) at each phase of care have prevented comprehensive evaluation of system performance. Addressing these knowledge gaps will enhance comparative and cost-effectiveness evaluations to inform decision-making and standards of care. Recommendations to do so were: standardize data element collection and facilitate database linkages, validate and adopt more outcome measures for SCI, and increase opportunities for collaborations with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2017
Methodology of the Access to Care and Timing Simulation Model for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Care.
Despite the relatively low incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI), the management and care of persons with tSCI can be resource intensive and complex, spanning multiple phases of care and disciplines. Using a simulation model built with a system level view of the healthcare system allows for prediction of the impact of interventions on patient and system outcomes from injury through to community reintegration after tSCI. ⋯ The objective of this article is to briefly describe the methodology and the application of the ACT Model, as it was used in several of the articles in this focus issue. The approaches employed in this model provide a framework to look into the complexity of interactions both within and among the different SCI programs, sites, and phases of care.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2017
Geomapping of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Canada and Factors Related to Triage Pattern.
Current research indicates that more than half of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) experience delays in transfer and receive surgery >24 h post-injury. The objectives of this study were to determine the geographic distribution of tSCI in Canada relative to specialized treatment facilities, to assess clinical and logistical factors at play for indirect admissions to those facilities, and to explore differences in current time to admission and simulated scenarios in an attempt to assess the potential impact of changes to triage protocols. This study included data from 876 patients with tSCI enrolled in the prospectively collected acute Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry (RHSCIR) between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013 for whom there were data on the location of their injury. ⋯ Considering the injuries occurring within 40 km of a RHSCIR acute facility (n = 323), 249 patients (77%) were directly and 74 (23%) were indirectly admitted. In the multivariate regression analysis, only older age and longer road distance remained significantly associated with being indirectly admitted to a RHSCIR facility. Compared with the current status, the median time to admission decreased by 20% (3.5 h) in the 100% direct admission scenario, and increased by 102% (8.9 h) in the 100% indirect admission scenario.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Oct 2017
Clinical TrialEffects of deferoxamine mesylate on hematoma and perihematoma edema after traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage.
Deferoxamine mesylate can cross the blood-brain barrier and reduce iron accumulation in nervous tissue; moreover, it has a variety of neuroprotective functions in addition to complexing with iron ions. Such iron chelators are expected to become a new treatment option for intracerebral hemorrhage. This study evaluated the effects of deferoxamine mesylate on hematoma and edema absorption after traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (TICH), and it provides clinical evidence for TICH treatment with deferoxamine mesylate. ⋯ There was no difference in edema volume on the 1st day. The changes in edema volume between the 1st and 3rd days, the 1st and 7th days, and the 1st and 14th days in the control group were higher than those during the same periods in the experimental group. Deferoxamine mesylate may accelerate hematoma absorption and inhibit edema after TICH; however, further investigation is required to reach definitive conclusions.