Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation最新文献

{"title":"Factors That Influence the Clinical Outcome After Tendon Transfer Surgery to Restore Grip Function in Individuals With Tetraplegia.","authors":"Therese Ramström, Johanna Wangdell, Jennifer Dunn, Carina Reinholdt, Lina Bunketorp Käll","doi":"10.46292/sci24-00084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci24-00084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Approximately 50% of spinal cord injuries (SCI) occur at the cervical level, resulting in significant loss of arm and hand function. Restoration of upper limb function is a high priority, and many opt for upper limb reconstructive surgeries to improve daily activities and psychological well-being.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This retrospective multicenter study investigates whether demographic data (sex and age) and clinical characteristics (type of SCI and years since injury) are related to the outcome of upper limb reconstructive surgery.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were extracted from medical records of individuals with an SCI who underwent surgery in Sweden and New Zealand. Muscle strength (pinch, grip) and grasp ability were measured before surgery and at 6 or 12 months after surgery using standard methods. Statistical analyses included univariable and multivariable linear regression to assess the association between outcomes and predictors. Outcomes were available for 183 arms at follow-up, assessed through at least one of the response variables: grip strength, pinch strength, or grasp ability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analyses demonstrated that by using regression models, we could explain 24% to 31% of the variation in pinch strength, grip strength, and grasp ability. The variables of sex, age, and level and severity of injury did explain a small but statistically significant proportion of the variance in pinch strength, grip strength, and grasp ability. Years after injury had no influence on the variation in outcome scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings suggest that demographic and injury-related factors partially explain the variation in functional outcomes after surgery, providing valuable insights for clinical decision-making and managing patient expectations.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 1","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926804/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of Neurogenic Bowel and Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunctions in Brazilians With Traumatic and Nontraumatic Spinal Cord Injury.","authors":"Eliz Ferreira, Geyslane Albuquerque, Luís M M Sousa, Filipe Lopes, Ana Paula S Champs, Fabiana Faleiros","doi":"10.46292/sci26-00030","DOIUrl":"10.46292/sci26-00030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neurogenic bowel dysfunction and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction are often associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). In Brazil, studies and statistical data on these dysfunctions are scarce.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To estimate the prevalence of neurogenic bowel dysfunction and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction in Brazilians diagnosed with traumatic and nontraumatic SCI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this retrospective cross-sectional study, a form was used to collect sociodemographic and clinical data from medical records. The Mann-Whitney statistical tests were used for 2 independent samples, Pearson's chi-square test for categorical variables, and the Kruskal-Wallis test for more than 2 independent samples for quantitative variables. A logistic regression model was used to understand the factors associated with neurogenic bowel dysfunction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The sample comprised 1056 participants from all regions of Brazil. Of this sample, 60.90% had traumatic SCI, and 69.03% were male. The prevalence of neurogenic bowel dysfunction in the sample was 88%, and the prevalence of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction was 90.6%. Participants with traumatic SCI are more affected by neurogenic bowel and lower urinary tract dysfunction than those with nontraumatic SCI.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Most people with SCI have neurogenic lower urinary tract and bowel alterations, especially those with traumatic SCI. Further studies are needed, and bowel and bladder reeducation programs should be provided in rehabilitation centers.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 1","pages":"30-37"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12992210/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147481488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of Telenutrition Education and Counseling Protocol to Improve Diet Quality in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury.","authors":"Adrianne Widaman, Benjamin Dirlikov, Ramya Gopalan, Shelley Wood, Maria Sol Casas, Kazuko Shem","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00125","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00125","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) is a leading cause of death for individuals living with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), with a mortality rate due to CMD being higher than individuals without SCI. Telenutrition (TN) interventions tailored to health and accessibility needs of individuals with SCI may mitigate cardiometabolic risks.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To describe the development and validation of a telehealth-based medical nutrition therapy (MNT) within a clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of modifying diets to improve cardiometabolic health in persons with chronic SCI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The adaptive module-based MNT education content was developed in 3 phases by a multidisciplinary team. The first phase entailed a literature review of SCI-specific clinical practice guidelines for CMD prevention for setting dietary goals. Phase 2 included the development of a framework for presenting the intervention components. The third phase focused on validating the readability and quality of the materials. The intervention and education content were designed to be delivered as part of an ongoing prospective, 1:1 block randomized, wait-list controlled clinical trial among individuals with SCI living in the community. The TN counseling was designed to be delivered over a 3-month period, on a bimonthly basis through videoconferencing by a dietitian specialized in SCI. Diet quality across assessments is measured by the Healthy Eating Index, and dietary changes will be assessed at the conclusion of the ongoing clinical trial.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The developed education content from this SCI-specific, evidence-based MNT intervention can be readily adapted in other research and clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 Suppl 1","pages":"232-247"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102084/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brief Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress After Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Mark B Powers, Megan E Douglas, Kirstie Jones, Alexis K Evans, Librada Callender, Monica Bennett, Christa Ochoa, Claire Bird, Courtney Tran, Simon Driver, Rita Hamilton, Seema Sikka, Chad Swank, Neil Stewart, Gregory V Chauvin, Niroj Ari, Barbara O Rothbaum, Jessica A Rostockyj, Ann Marie Warren","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00124","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spinal cord injury (SCI) increases risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This condition often co-occurs with pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance, reducing quality of life. Despite the clinical impact of these symptoms, early evidence-based psychological interventions have rarely been evaluated during inpatient rehabilitation. Brief Prolonged Exposure (Brief PE) is a 3-session adaptation of Prolonged Exposure designed to prevent or reduce PTSD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants (<i>n</i> = 154, mean age = 50 years, range 18-87; 65% male) with traumatic or nontraumatic SCI were enrolled at a rehabilitation hospital; 148 were randomized to Brief PE (<i>n</i> = 75) or treatment as usual (TAU; <i>n</i> = 73). Brief PE participants received 3 60-minute sessions during their inpatient stay while TAU participants received standard psychosocial care. The primary outcome was PTSD symptom severity (PSSI-5) at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months. Secondary outcomes included PTSD diagnosis/severity (PSSI-5/PDS-5), pain (NRS-11), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), sleep disturbance (PROMIS-SD), resilience (CD-RISC-10), and quality of life (SCI-QOL).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>PTSD symptoms declined significantly in both groups (<i>P</i> = .003), with no Group × Time effect (<i>P</i> = .33). History of premorbid depression predicted higher PTSD severity (IRR = 1.84, <i>P</i> = .002). At 6 months, PTSD prevalence was lower in Brief PE (5.9%) versus TAU (9.3%), though nonsignificant. Significant Group × Time effects for average and usual pain (<i>P</i> = .032; <i>P</i> = .036) favored Brief PE, with 27% and 33% reductions versus 0% and 5% for TAU. Among Brief PE participants, 96% completed all sessions, with high satisfaction.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Brief PE was feasible, acceptable, and produced greater pain reduction than TAU. PTSD symptoms were also lower, though not significantly, suggesting promise for early psychological intervention after SCI.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 Suppl 1","pages":"162-176"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102082/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictors of Functional Outcomes After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury From the SCIMS Database: Roles of Segmental Motor Strength, Ethnicity, and Health Literacy.","authors":"Shashwati Geed, Ana Valeria Aguirre Guemez, Suzanne Groah","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00113","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To identify individual- and injury-specific factors associated with upper-extremity function at 12 months after spinal cord injury (SCI) among individuals with tetraplegia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study involving 16 SCI Model Systems (SCIMS) rehabilitation centers across the United States. The cohort was 77.4% male; 67.8% White; 25.0% Black/African American; 11.3% Hispanic. Mean age was 47.3±17.7 years. Outcome measures were the fine-motor and self-care domains of the Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index (SCI-FI) at 12 months post injury. Least squares regression models examined associations of person-related (age, sex, race, ethnicity, admission weight, health literacy) and injury-related (bilateral upper-extremity motor scores, assessed through ISNCSCI) predictors. A follow-up mediation-regression analysis tested whether health literacy mediated the effect of Hispanic ethnicity on outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher right C5 and bilateral C8 motor scores were strongly associated with greater SCI-FI fine-motor function and self-care. Hispanic origin and lower health literacy predicted worse outcomes. Older age was additionally associated with lower self-care function. Mediation analyses showed no mediation effect; health literacy and Hispanic ethnicity were independent predictors of 12-month fine-motor and self-care SCI-FI scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Fine-motor and self-care function is strongly influenced by right C5 strength for dominant arm reaching and right and bilateral C8 strength for grasp and bimanual prehension. Although improvement in segmental motor strength remains neurobiologically challenging and variable, health literacy is a modifiable factor that can be addressed early post-SCI to better support long-term functional outcomes. Because SCI-FI reflects patient-reported performance, enhancing health literacy may directly improve outcomes of greatest relevance to individuals with tetraplegia.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 Suppl 1","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102066/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protocol for Safety, Feasibility, and Efficacy of Using Targeted Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation to Treat Hypotension During Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation in Individuals With SCI.","authors":"Jorge Chavez, Genevieve L Curtis, Joseph P Weir, Chung-Ying Tsai, Finn E Fox, Noam Y Harel, Lynda M Murray, Jacob A Goldsmith, Thomas W Sutor, Vincent Huang, Miguel X Escalon, Thomas N Bryce, Jill M Wecht","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) has shown evidence of leveraging intact neural circuits to increase blood pressure (BP) in hypotensive people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The primary aim is to determine the safety and feasibility of using tSCS to promote seated systolic BP (SBP) within a target range of 110-130 mm Hg and to mitigate the fall in BP with transition to an upright position in hypotensive participants during acute inpatient rehabilitation (AIR) following SCI.</p><p><strong>Design/methods: </strong>Cathode placement on the spine will be randomized among 4 sites: T7/8, T9/10, T11/12, and L1/2. Mapping for other stimulation parameters includes waveform (monophasic, biphasic, pseudo-monophasic), frequency (30, 60, 120 Hz), use of a carrier frequency (0, 10 kHz), and stimulation amplitude (0-100 mA). Each mapping session will consist of 2 sit-up tests, one without stimulation followed by one with stimulation. During the sit-up test with stimulation, intensity will be slowly increased to 30 mA with continuous monitoring of BP, heart rate, pain, and symptoms of orthostatic hypotension (OH) and autonomic dysreflexia (AD). Once 30 mA is reached, brachial BP will be monitored for 5 minutes. If below the target SBP range, stimulation intensity will be increased in increments of 5 to 10 mA until one of the following occurs: (1) SBP is within the target range, (2) stimulation is intolerable, (3) 100 mA is reached, or (4) stimulation is delivered for 30 minutes. Safety and feasibility will be measured by assessing burn frequency, pain level, and symptoms of AD and OH along with scheduling compliance.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 1","pages":"12-20"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926799/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Familiarity and Use of Rehabilitation Technologies by Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: An Exploratory Quantitative Analysis.","authors":"Benjamin Dirlikov, Ashraf Gorgey, Nicholas H Evans, Karpagapriya Prabakaran, Candace Tefertiller, Chad Swank, Dannae Arnold, Thomas N Bryce, Jeffery W Rankin","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00123","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>New technologies to support individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) are constantly evolving. This study explores current familiarity with and use of emerging rehabilitation technologies among individuals living with SCI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A self-report community survey for individuals living with SCI was developed by the Emerging Technology Special Interest Group within the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems. This de-identified survey collected demographics, injury characteristics, and information on the familiarity and use of emerging rehabilitation technologies. Exploratory descriptive statistics and regression models were used to identify characteristics associated with technology familiarity and use.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two hundred and forty-three participants completed the survey. Most participants were male, Caucasian, non-Hispanic, used government insurance, and experienced an incomplete SCI. Sixty-nine percent of respondents were familiar with the technologies listed in the survey. Of the technologies listed, functional electrical stimulation was used most frequently. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that individuals with a longer time since injury were less likely to be familiar with [Exp(B): .957, <i>P</i> < .001] or use at least one of the emerging technologies [Exp(B): .931, <i>P</i> < .001].</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Sixty-nine percent (69%) of the respondents were familiar with the listed technologies. Of those, 77% had tried at least one technology, indicating significant interest within the SCI community. However, a greater time from injury was associated with decreased familiarity with these new technologies. Further understanding of the barriers affecting familiarity and adoption is critical to developing strategies that promote using emerging clinical interventions for individuals with SCI across the continuum of care.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 Suppl 1","pages":"58-67"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102064/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterizing Neurological Status and Outcomes During Inpatient Rehabilitation in Persons With Nontraumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Early Findings From a Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Feasibility Study.","authors":"Kazuko Shem, Einat Engel-Haber, Brittany Snider, Ana Valeria Aguirre Guemez, Steven Kirshblum, Seema Sikka, Ronald K Reeves","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The National SCI Model Systems (SCIMS) Database was established in 1973 to study longitudinal data from persons with traumatic SCI (TSCI). The SCIMS provides an ideal platform to explore the feasibility of a parallel data collection effort to understand the characteristics of individuals with nontraumatic SCI (NTSCI). In the current data collection cycle (2021-2026), all SCIMS centers gathered data specific to NTSCI.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To (1) describe the demographic and injury-specific characteristics of participants with NTSCI and (2) assess neurological changes from admission to discharge.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) examination data of participants with NTSCI who were enrolled at an SCIMS center were extracted from the medical records at admission and discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Data from 178 participants with NTSCI were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 93 participants who had adequate ISNCSCI data on admission, only 8.6% had neurological complete injuries. More participants had paraplegia (<i>n</i> = 58, 62.4%) than tetraplegia (<i>n</i> = 35, 37.6%). For participants with full ISNCSCI data at both admission and discharge (<i>n</i> = 47), there were significant improvements in the lower extremity motor score and pinprick and light touch scores on discharge.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>On admission to acute rehabilitation, more people with NTSCI had paraplegia than tetraplegia, and neurological incomplete injuries were more common. People with NTSCI experienced significant improvement in ISNCSCI neurological variables by the time of discharge from rehabilitation.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 Suppl 1","pages":"188-199"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102075/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mortality Due to COVID-19 Among Persons With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in the United States: 2020-2022.","authors":"Michael J DeVivo, Yuying Chen, Radhika Sharma","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00118","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To quantify excess mortality due to COVID-19 among persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cohort study was conducted at 31 SCI Model Systems and 3 Shriners Hospitals SCI units. Participants were persons with TSCI (<i>n</i> = 22,800) enrolled in the SCI Collaborative Survival Study Database with follow-up between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022. Main outcome measures were age- and sex-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by age group, sex, injury severity, and years since injury.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were 102 deaths in the TSCI study population due to COVID-19 among 1138 total deaths of known cause (9.0%) that occurred in 57,109 person-years of follow-up. COVID-19 deaths ranked fourth behind heart disease (17.4%), respiratory disease (16.0%), and cancer (12.2%). The overall COVID-19 SMR for TSCI was estimated to be 1.42 (95% CI 1.15-1.70). The SMR increased with increasing injury severity and was higher among persons who were younger than 60 years of age and who were at least 20 years post injury.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Persons with TSCI had 42% greater risk of dying from COVID-19 than the general population of comparable age and sex. These findings emphasize the need for up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations and prompt treatment with Paxlovid and/or other antiviral medications. Now that the latest COVID-19 variants are less lethal and effective vaccines and treatments are available, additional follow-up will be needed to determine whether COVID-19 and its long-term effects continue to have a significant negative impact on life expectancy among persons with TSCI.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 Suppl 1","pages":"200-207"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102081/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating Psychometric Characteristics of the SCI-QOL Ability to Participate and Satisfaction With Social Roles and Activities.","authors":"Emily J Dinelli, Anne Deutsch, Heerak Choi, Allen W Heinemann","doi":"10.46292/sci25-00105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46292/sci25-00105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The SCI Model System centers collect SCI-QOL Participation in Social Roles and Activities and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities short forms data, which contributes to lengthy research follow-up interviews. Collaborators sought to abbreviate interviews without compromising measurement properties.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To (1) evaluate psychometric characteristics of 2 SCI-QOL short forms, (2) identify items exhibiting differential item functioning related to injury or demographic characteristics, and (3) recommend abbreviated short forms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We obtained data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Database and used rating scale software to evaluate measurement properties, dimensionality, and differential item functioning. We removed items systematically until we produced 2 abbreviated short forms of the measures with acceptable measurement properties.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For the Participation short form, a sample of 4148 individuals yielded a person-separation reliability of .82 with adequate measurement properties albeit one misfitting item. The decision to remove 2 items was guided by Rasch analysis results and supported by qualitative evaluation of item relevance. Eight items yielded a person reliability of .79 and adequate measurement properties. For the Satisfaction short form, positively and negatively worded items provoked dimensionality. Retaining the positively worded items yielded person reliability of .84.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>An 8-item Participation and a 5-positive-item Satisfaction short form reduce respondent and interviewer burden while preserving adequate measurement properties. Investigators can select from a variable-length computer adaptive version, 10-item short forms, or abbreviated short forms to measure these constructs based on burden considerations and tolerance for measurement error.</p>","PeriodicalId":46769,"journal":{"name":"Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation","volume":"32 Suppl 1","pages":"44-57"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102080/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}