Article

OBJECTIVE: To assess how frequently subjects with spinal cord injuries (SCIs)
classified as American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade A
have substantial preserved motor function below the neurologic level of injury,
despite having no preserved sensory or motor function at the S4-5 spinal cord
segment. DESIGN: Analysis of the European Multicenter Study about Spinal Cord
Injury database to determine how frequently subjects assessed as AIS A would have
been AIS D based on motor scores alone (ie, had scores of >/=3 in at least half
of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord
Injury [ISNCSCI] key muscles below the neurologic level of injury, despite having
no sacral sparing). SETTING: Eighteen European centers. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals
with traumatic SCI at any level (total of 2557 assessments). INTERVENTIONS: Not
applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: ISNCSCI assessments.
RESULTS: Over the first
year after SCI (with assessments at approximately 1, 4, 12, 24, and 48wk) and for
all rostrocaudal levels of injury, only 3.2% of AIS A assessments were found to
meet the AIS D motor score criteria. The percentage was highest for lumbar
(16.3%) and lower thoracic (4.4%) SCI. No trends were observed across time
points. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the low frequency of individuals
with an AIS A classification and high levels of motor function are not a
significant concern in subject recruitment for clinical trials, unless the level
of SCI is within the lumbar cord.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS