Praxis Spinal Cord Institute

Study DesignHealth economic model.ObjectivesSignificant work has been done to estimate the cost of spinal cord injury (SCI) from a health system perspective. Most of this work, however, does not establish the true cost to the individual living with SCI. This study aimed to develop a cost calculator reflecting both initial health care costs as well as lifetime costs with direct input from people living with SCI.MethodsCosts were seperated into initial costs and lifetime costs. For initial costs, estimates were obtained from Canadian SCI health care data and the literature, and were then adjusted for inflation to 2024. For lifetime costs, input from individuals living with SCI and clinical input were collected. Initial and lifetime costs were integrated into a novel, user-friendly cost calculator.ResultsThe SCI Cost Calculator provides an estimated lifetime SCI cost ranging from $1.9M (older person living with incomplete SCI) to over $10 M 2024 Canadian dollars (younger person living with complete SCI) which is substantially higher than existing estimates. Initial costs can be as little as 3% of the lifetime cost for younger people or as high as 24% of the lifetime cost for older individuals.ConclusionCurrent cost estimates greatly understate the cost of living with SCI. To understand the support needed for persons living with SCI, an economic model that accurately reflects the costs of living with SCI is critical. Future work includes engaging the wider SCI community to enhance accuracy and validity of the cost domains identified.

ObjectiveWe examined the impact of consenting to the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry on outcomes: acute length of stay, in-hospital mortality, medical complications (pressure injuries and pneumonia), and the final discharge destination following a spinal cord injury using the national Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry dataset.DesignA retrospective cohort study was conducted using Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry participant data from 2014 to 2019. Participants approached for enrollment were grouped into 1) PC: provided full consent including community follow-up interviews, 2) DWC: declined community follow-up interviews but accepted minimal data collection that may include initial/final interviews and/or those who later withdrew consent, and 3) DC: declined consent to any participation. As no data was collected for the DC group, descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable regression analysis was limited to the PC and DWC groups.ResultsOf 2811 participants, 2101 (74.7%) were PC, 553 (19.7%) were DWC, and 157 (5.6%) were DC. DWC participants had significantly longer acute length of stay, more acute pneumonias/pressure injuries, and were less likely to be discharged home than PC participants. All these associations—except pneumonia—remained significant in the multivariable analyses.ConclusionsNot participating fully in Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry was associated with more complications and longer hospital stays.

The International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) is the most widely accepted system for characterizing sensorimotor impairments after spinal cord injury (SCI). There have been a number of ISNCSCI revisions, with the most recent edition published in 2019. Newer concepts, including the revised definitions of the zones of partial preservation (ZPPs) and documentation of non-SCI conditions, require training and practice for successful utilization. The International Standards Committee developed an ISNCSCI workbook of 26 practice cases, each with detailed explanations of the correct classification components. In this article, we present seven cases, which were selected from the workbook to reinforce the changes implemented in 2019. Hypothetical ISNCSCI cases were created to illustrate important classification rules, definitions, and nuances. All cases were reviewed by members of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) International Standards Committee, and if any discrepancies were identified, they were discussed until a consensus was reached. To confirm agreement, cases were also entered into online algorithms, which are compliant with the 2019 ISNCSCI revision. The seven cases in this article highlight newer classification concepts and include a discussion of key elements. Each case reinforces the revised definitions of the ZPPs, such as the applicability of sensory ZPPs in all injuries without sensory sacral sparing and applicability of motor ZPPs in all injuries without voluntary anal contraction (VAC). Non-SCI-related impairments and their impact on the classification are reviewed in Cases 4-7. The seven cases presented in this article feature key concepts from the 2019 ISNCSCI revision. These cases, as well as the full ISNCSCI workbook, can serve as valuable training tools to improve classification accuracy.

Persons with disabilities experience numerous barriers to healthcare access including vaccine accessibility. The purpose of this study was to determine COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) population of Ontario and identify potential factors influencing C OVID-19 vaccine uptake. This was a retrospective closed-cohort study using administrative health data on individuals with SCI/D of traumatic and non-traumatic causes to examine the monthly number of COVID-19 vaccine doses received between December 2020 and December 2023. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the potential association between socio-demographic, clinical, and neighbourhood characteristics with initial COVID-19 vaccine receipt and booster dose uptake. By the end of the observation period in December 2023, 82.9% received the full two-dose coverage and 65.6% received at least one additional booster dose in a cohort of 3574 individuals with SCI/D. SCI/D individuals showed a comparable COVID-19 vaccine uptake percentage to the general population. Sociodemographic, clinical, and neighbourhood characteristics were associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the SCI/D population, including age, type of injury, number of comorbidities, mental health history, and neighbourhood characteristics such as income. Further investigation is necessary to determine the causation effects of these relationships with vaccine uptake to address health equity concerns.

The inclusion of people living with spinal cord injury (SCI) in research has allowed for an informed understanding of priorities of recovery of which bowel dysfunction and bladder dysfunction have been continuously identified. Research has also demonstrated the global disparities in SCI outcomes particularly when comparing high- and low-income countries. Currently, there is a lack of direct comparison between countries when assessing SCI outcomes. This is an exploratory study to better understand bowel and bladder dysfunction amongst individuals with SCI in India and Canada. Data from 33 participants were analyzed. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing demographic information and the Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction (NBD) score, Wexner score, Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS), and the Incontinence Quality of Life Instrument (I-QOL). Continuous data were compared using t tests. For not normally distributed data, the independent Mann-Whitney U test was used. Categorical variables were evaluated for association using Fisher's exact or chi-square test, depending on the sample size. Independent Mann-Whitney U test demonstrated that the Canadian participants had poorer bowel function with higher total NBD scores (p = .007) and less frequent bowel movements (p = .036), and they were more likely to experience uneasiness, headaches, and perspiration during bowel movements (p < .001). NBSS results indicated a small but significantly higher proportion of the Indian participants were unsatisfied or unhappy with their bladder function (p = .049). The distribution of Wexner and I-QOL scores were the same across countries. Potential explanations for differences include lifestyle, management, financial resources, patient and caregiver education, and societal pressures, which are all heavily influenced by cultural, geographical, and economic circumstances.

This study is a mixed methods approach. Intraoperative spinal cord injury (ISCI) is a challenging complication in spine surgery. Intra-operative neuromonitoring (IONM) has been developed to detect changes in neural function. We report on the first multidisciplinary, international effort through AO Spine and the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute to develop a comprehensive guideline and care pathway for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of ISCI. Three literature reviews were registered on PROSPERO (CRD 42022298841) and performed according to PRISMA guidelines: (1) Definitions, frequency, and risk factors for ISCI, (2) Meta-analysis of the accuracy of IONM for diagnosis of ISCI, (3) Reported management approaches for ISCI and related events. The results were presented in a consensus session to decide the definition of IONM and recommendation of its use in high-risk cases. Based on a literature review of management strategies for ISCI, an intra-operative checklist and overall care pathway was developed by the study team. An operational definition and high-risk patient categories for ISCI were established. The reported incidence of deficits was documented to be higher in intramedullary tumour spine surgery. Multimodality IONM has a high sensitivity and specificity. A guideline recommendation of IONM to be employed for high-risk spine cases was made. The different sections of the intraoperative checklist include surgery, anaesthetic and neurophysiology. The care pathway includes steps (1) initial clinical assessment, (2) pre-operative planning, (3) surgical/anaesthetic planning, (4) intra-operative management, and (5) post-operative management. This is the first evidence based comprehensive guideline and care pathway for ISCI using the GRADE methodology. This will facilitate a reduction in the incidence of ISCI and improved outcomes from this complication. We welcome the wide implementation and validation of these guidelines and care pathways in prospective, multicentre studies.

Abstract Background Health, fitness and lifestyle professionals can play important roles in promoting physical activity in groups at risk of developing an inactive lifestyle, such as people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Tailored counselling is a promising tool to promote and improve physical activity levels. To support professionals to effectively have a conversation about physical activity with clients with SCI, evidence-based training and resources are needed. This project aimed to 1) co-develop an e-learning course on best practices for SCI physical activity counselling and, 2) examine the effectiveness and usability of this course. Methods Guided by the technology-enhanced learning (TEL) evaluation framework, we used a systematic, multistep approach to co-develop and evaluate an e-learning course. The development process was informed by input and feedback from a diverse group of end-users and experts (n &gt; 160) via online surveys and (think-aloud) interviews. A randomized controlled trial was used to compare learning outcomes (post-knowledge and self-efficacy) between participants who completed the course (intervention group) and the wait-listed control group. Usability, learning experiences, and satisfaction were assessed among all participants. Results Forty-one participants (21 intervention-group; 20 control-group) with various backgrounds (e.g., lifestyle counsellors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, fitness trainers) enrolled in the randomized controlled trial. After completing the course, participants in the intervention group showed significantly improved knowledge on the best practices for SCI physical activity counselling and higher self-efficacy for using these best practices in conversations with clients with SCI compared to the control group (p &lt; .001). Participants reported above average usability scores, positive learning experiences, and high levels of satisfaction when completing the course. Conclusion We used a systematic, multi-step, theory-informed approach to co-develop and evaluate an evidence-based e-learning course on SCI physical activity counselling to support professionals to promote physical activity in their daily practices. The overall positive findings demonstrate that the e-learning course is feasible and ready for further implementation in various health and community settings. Implementation of the e-learning course can help professionals improve the physical activity support they provide to their clients, and subsequently increase physical activity participation in people with SCI.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is a debilitating neurological condition resulting in lifelong disability for many individuals. The primary objectives of our study were to describe national trends in incident emergency department (ED) visits for tSCI among children (less than 21 years) in the United States, and to determine the proportion of visits that resulted in immediate hospitalization each year, including stratified by age and sex. Secondary objectives were to examine associations between select characteristics and hospitalization following tSCI, as well as to assess sports-related tSCIs over time, including by individual sport and geographic region. We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Emergency Department Sample to identify ED visits among children between January 2016 and December 2020 for incident tSCI. Diagnosis codes were used to identify tSCI and sports-related injury etiologies. Census Bureau data were used to approximate annual rates of pediatric ED visits for tSCI per 100,000 children. Unconditional logistic regression modeling assessed whether select factors were associated with hospital admission. We found that the annual ED visit rate for tSCI remained relatively stable between 2016 and 2020, with approximately 2,200 new all-cause pediatric ED visits for tSCI annually. Roughly 70% of ED visits for tSCI resulted in hospitalization; most ED visits for tSCI were by older children (15-20 years) and males, who were also more often admitted to the hospital. Notable secondary findings included: (a) compared with older children (15-20 years), younger children (10-14 years) were less likely to be hospitalized immediately following an ED visit for tSCI; (b) patient sex and race were not associated with hospital admission; and (c) American tackle football was the leading cause of sports-related ED visits for tSCI among children. Our findings also suggest that the proportion of sports-related tSCI ED visits may have increased in recent years. Future research should further examine trends in the underlying etiologies of pediatric tSCI, while assessing the effectiveness of new and existing interventions aimed at tSCI prevention.

Background Rehabilitation approaches after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) differ across rehabilitation centres and between therapists. Differences may be influenced by factors such as therapeutic approaches, equipment availability, training provided for therapists, or demographics of admitted patients. A measure of physical function that is widely used within Canadian rehabilitation centres is the Standing and Walking Assessment Tool (SWAT). It is not clear what factors or therapeutic approaches lead to optimal standing and walking outcomes in the SCI population. Objectives To explore the perspectives of physio-therapists on factors that affect standing and walking outcomes in inpatient SCI rehabilitation. Methods Three focus groups were conducted with nine physiotherapists representing seven inpatient rehabilitation centres across Canada to provide their perspectives on current practices and to gain in-depth insights into centre-specific factors that may influence standing and walking outcomes. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the focus group data. Results Thematic analysis revealed that high treatment intensity and frequency are needed for optimal standing and walking outcomes. Physiotherapists emphasized that appropriate length of stay was essential to deliver an effective treatment plan. They noted, however, that there is pressure to discharge patients quickly leading to shorter length of stays and a perceived compromise in outcomes. Physiotherapists emphasized the importance of building rapport with patients, creating an exciting therapeutic environment, and the availability of enough staff for optimal recovery. Conclusions The findings of this qualitative study will inform the implementation and development of opportunities to optimize standing and walking outcomes across rehabilitation centres in Canada.