Spinal cord
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Autologous incubated macrophage therapy in acute, complete spinal cord injury: results of the phase 2 randomized controlled multicenter trial.
Randomized controlled trial with single-blinded primary outcome assessment. ⋯ The analysis failed to show a significant difference in primary outcome between the two groups. The study results do not support treatment of acute complete SCI with autologous incubated macrophage therapy as specified in this protocol.
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Design and rationale of a Prospective, Observational European Multicenter study on the efficacy of acute surgical decompression after traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: the SCI-POEM study.
Despite many years of research, there is currently no treatment available that results in major neurological or functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). In particular, no conclusive data related to the role of the timing of decompressive surgery, and the impact of injury severity on its benefit, have been published to date. This paper presents a protocol that was designed to examine the hypothesized association between the timing of surgical decompression and the extent of neurological recovery in tSCI patients. ⋯ In order to minimize bias and reduce the impact of confounders, special attention is paid to key methodological principles in this study protocol. A significant difference in safety and/or efficacy endpoints will provide meaningful information to clinicians, as this would confirm the hypothesis that rapid referral to and treatment in specialized centers result in important improvements in tSCI patients.
-
Case report of a 42-year-old woman with non-evoked pain diagnosed with a cavernous C7-Th6 spinal haemangioma. ⋯ NP was diagnosed following IH, corroborated by an increase in below-level cold pain threshold with at- and below-level cold and heat allodynia. Psychophysical evidence for at- and below-level SCI central sensitization was obtained with tonic thermal stimuli. Early detection of IH could lead to better management of specific NP symptoms, an appreciation of the role of haemorrhage as an aggravating SCI physical factor, and the identification of specific spinal pathophysiological pain mechanisms.