View clinical trials related to Spinal Cord Injuries.
Filter by:Non-invasive brain stimulation has gained increasing popularity and research support over the past several years. Recent research indicates that it might have benefits for improving hand function in people with spinal cord injury. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a type of non-invasive brain stimulation, known as tDCS, on hand function.
Paralympians competing in wheelchair sports may experience a very high glycolytic demand (and therefore acidotic environment) in their upper-body muscles, particularly in high-intensity disciplines. Previous studies from our group have shown that upper-body exercise is very sensitive to the ergogenic effects of β-alanine supplementation and to other nutritional supplements capable of increasing buffering capacity. In line with this, have shown that upper-body muscle groups benefit more from artificially induced alkalosis than lower-body muscle groups. Although β-alanine appears to be an interesting and potential ergogenic supplement for paralympians, no study to date has assessed its potential in wheelchair athletes.In this study, we will evaluate the effects of β-alanine supplementation on upper-body performance in wheelchair athletes.
Currently, those with spinal cord injury (SCI) demonstrate increased prevalence of obesity (75%) cardiovascular disease (30 - 50%), type II diabetes (21%) and osteoporosis in the legs (100%) when compared to the general population. It is important to identify the modes and intensities of exercise most likely to generate a reduction in these inactivity-related diseases in this population. Therefore, the main purpose of this pilot research project is to implement and test a form of a spinal cord injury-specific exercise, known as FES rowing (FES: functional electrical stimulation).
Over 300,000 people in the United States have spinal cord injuries and many use manual wheelchairs for mobility. Most manual wheelchair users will develop shoulder injuries and pain that greatly affect quality of life and level of independence. Understanding when shoulder disease starts in manual wheelchair users and which daily activities contribute to the disease will provide necessary evidence for effective primary prevention methods to inhibit the development of further disability. Our central hypothesis is that the development of shoulder disease in manual wheelchair users will be strongly associated with the cumulative exposure to elevated shoulder postures combined with high upper body loading.
The aim of this observational, non-controlled, non-profit study is to describe the responses to rehabilitative training with the robotic exoskeleton EKSO-GT in patients with incomplete motor Spinal Cord Injury (AIS C or D). Such rehabilitative tool is employed during inpatient intensive rehabilitation in a 3rd level Italian hospital. Safety and tolerability of the device are also assessed and described.
This is a feasibility study to test the use of epidural stimulation to restore volitional function previously lost due to spinal cord injury. Previous studies conducted in animal models, performed elsewhere and here at Mayo Clinic, have shown that direct electrical stimulation of the spinal cord increases the excitability of spared neuronal connections within the site of injury, thereby enhancing signal transmission and allowing recovery of previously lost volitional function. Recently, epidural electrical stimulation of the lumbosacral spinal cord in four individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) has restored motor and autonomic function below the level of injury. Despite positive results, further translational research is needed to validate these findings. The goal of this proposal is to perform epidural stimulation to restore volitional function in patients with SCI. In two patients, we will implant an epidural stimulator onto the dorsal aspect of the lumbosacral spinal cord dura mater. Patients will undergo a structured program of daily physical rehabilitation, treadmill step training, and epidural stimulation to recover motor, sensory, and autonomic function.
This study will assess the benefits of using mobile health system designed for individuals with chronic and complex health conditions (such as those with Spinal Cord Injury,Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, and Traumatic Brain Injury) to improve their wellness and self-management skills compared to those who receive standard of care only.
Respiratory complications are the leading cause of death during the initial year after acute SCI, and the third leading cause of death thereafter. Complete or partial loss of respiratory muscle innervations in individuals with cervical and high thoracic injuries leads to inadequate ventilation and inability to effectively clear secretions, often prompting supportive ventilation following initial injury. Development of atelactasis, pneumonias and respiratory failure are the most common respiratory complications observed during the acute phase of injury. It is well known that a restrictive ventilatory defect, dependent upon the level and completeness of injury, is apparent in individuals with chronic cervical SCI. Respiratory functional impairment might be further compromised in these individuals, the majority of whom share many aspects of obstructive airway physiology commonly associated with asthma. The asthma-like features that individuals with chronic cervical SCI demonstrate have been hypothesized to be due to overriding cholinergic airway tone carried by intact vagal (parasympathetic) nerve fibers arising from the brainstem, whereas sympathetic innervations is interrupted at the level of the upper thoracic spinal cord. Whether airway narrowing and AHR in chronic cervical SCI is also related to chronic airway inflammation is unknown, although it is conceivable that repeated respiratory infections or, possibly, a neurogenic component, could contribute to chronic airway inflammation. Therefore, the investigators aim to assess how long-acting bronchodilator (tiotropium bromide) affects various indices of lung function, including: pulmonary function tests, levels of inflammation and cough strength across 24 hours after receiving study drug. Results will be analyzed for baseline, 1 hour, 3 hours, 20 hours and 24 hours post drug inhalation for both active medication and non-active placebo.
Pressure ulcers (PU) are skin breakdowns that often form after blood flow in the skin is reduced from prolonged and repeated exposure to externally applied forces. As many as 85% of individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) report the occurrence of at least 1 PU since being injured. Despite the increasing attention and emphasis on prevention, PUs still represent a major health risk for persons with SCI. Among the numerous potential physical risk factors identified for the development of a PU were several conditions that have a significant negative effect on skin blood flow. In addition, improper management of blood sugar is a major risk factor for PU development and it impedes healing. It would appear that hormones (i.e., chemical signals in the blood) associated with how the body uses sugar that target the blood vessels may play an important role in the development and formation of a PU. In persons with SCI, skin blood flow responses to insulin (i.e., a hormone that helps the body use sugar and also relaxes the blood vessels allowing blood flow to increase) in the lower extremity were shown to be much lower than healthy individuals. The proposed study in up to 30 individuals with chronic SCI and a difficult-to-heal pelvic region PU has 2 phases: (1) a 4-week "observation" phase [if the PU does not heal appropriately (determined by digital photos and software computation), and the subject is found to be insulin resistant then they will progress to the next phase of the study] and (2) an 8-week "treatment" phase. All participants will continue to receive the standard wound care throughout the observation and treatment phases. If the surface area of the PU does not decrease by more than 30% during the 4-week observation phase, the participant will be eligible to enter the 8-week treatment phase, in which they will be randomly assigned to receive active drug (e.g., pioglitazone) or placebo. The participants will have four study visits in which the following will be acquired: digital image of the wound to monitor wound surface area, skin blood flow measurements of the peri-wound area, and blood tests to monitor liver function, kidney function, blood sugar (hemoglobin A1C, insulin, glucose), nutritional status (albumin and pre-albumin), a complete blood count with differential, and makers of inflammation. Weekly monitoring of symptoms and participant experiences will be closely monitored.
Pressure ulcers (PU) are skin breakdowns that often form after blood flow in the skin is reduced from prolonged and repeated exposure to externally applied forces. As many as 85% of individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) report the occurrence of at least 1 PU since being injured. Despite the increasing attention and emphasis on prevention, PUs still represent a major health risk for persons with SCI. PUs and other skin breakdowns are at risk for becoming infected; it is not uncommon for many different types of "bugs" to be found in the wound. It has been assumed that the presence of these organisms did not impede wound healing or skin graft survival. The current proposal will use a new type of procedure that involves the direct injection of an antibiotic (in saline) into the skin beneath the wound; it is then distributed throughout the wound using a second device that uses sound waves. The study will determine if the antibiotic treatment and the standard of care improves the rate wound closure compared to the standard of care alone in persons with SCI and a chronic pelvic-region PU.