The journal of spinal cord medicine
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Describe an interdisciplinary spinal cord injury home care program (SCIHCP), sample demographics for the veteran participants, and initial impact of SCIHCP on health care utilization and mortality. ⋯ Inpatient and ED utilization did not change one year after enrollment, but more SCIHCP visits predicted more hospital admissions and lower likelihood of mortality in the post-evaluation year. The support, education, and care continuity SCIHCP generates might be related to increased inpatient access and lower mortality rate. Veterans with increased mental health comorbidities used inpatient services more, and might need additional support.
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Virtual and augmented imagery are emerging technologies with potential to reduce the severity and impact of neuropathic pain in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). ⋯ Although the number of studies and individual sample sizes are small, these initial findings are promising. Given the limited options available for the effective treatment of neuropathic SCI pain and early evidence of efficacy, they provide valuable incentive for further research.
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To investigate if a combination of anticonvulsant and antidepressant, two primary therapies for neuropathic pain, is associated with improved pain control compared to individual therapy. ⋯ The initiation of a combination of anticonvulsant and antidepressant shortly after SCI was not associated with improved pain control at 6 months compared to individual therapy. Adherent patients reported lower levels of pain; further analysis is warranted to elucidate this association.
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Objective/Context To highlight questions with regards to the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) and provide historical perspectives to help SCI professionals gain fuller insights into the classification system. Methods Frequently asked questions to the ISNCSCI were collected and a review of literature and personal communications with International Standards committee members and Chairs were undertaken. Results Background and explanations for nine questions, detailing decision processes and challenging classification rules are presented. Conclusion While the ISNCSCI can be challenging, this background and historical explanation may provide a greater understanding and the ability to critically analyze this classification system.
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To compare the prevalence of anxiety/depression and overweight/obesity (Aim 1) and the multimorbidity of these conditions (Aim 2) in a sample of adults with and without spinal cord injury (SCI). Aim 3 was to examine whether overweight/obese individuals with SCI differ on the prevalence of anxiety/depressive disorders compared to non-overweight/obese individuals with SCI. ⋯ This work is among the first to find evidence that individuals with SCI are at heightened odds of overweight/obesity alongside anxiety and/or depressive disorders. This early work holds clinical implications for treating these interrelated comorbidities in SCI.