NeuroRehabilitation - Volume 28, issue 2

Authors: Aubut, Jo-Anne L. | Mehta, Swati | Cullen, Nora | Teasell, Robert W. | ERABI Group, | SCIRE Research Team,

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: To compare the treatment of heterotopic ossification (HO) within the traumatic brain and spinal cord injured populations. Methods: MEDLINE/Pubmed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles addressing treatment of HO post-injury. Articles were constrained to: English language and human subjects. Studies were included if: n ⩾ 50% of the subjects had a spinal cord injury (SCI) or a traumatic brain injury (TBI), n ⩾ 3 SCI or TBI subjects, and study subjects participated in a treatment or intervention. Study quality, for randomized control trials (RCTs), were assessed using the PEDro assessment scale, while non-RCTs was …assessed using the Downs and Black evaluation tool. A modified Sackett scale was used to apply levels of evidence for each intervention. Results: In total 26 studies (NTBI = 12; NSCI = 14) met inclusion criteria. The majority of studies (10/12) conducted in the TBI population were surgical interventions. Studies conducted with the SCI population investigated diverse pharmacological treatments including: bisphosphonates, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and Warfarin. Non-pharmacological studies investigated the benefits of pulse low-intensity electromagnetic field therapy, surgical excision, and radiotherapy in the treatment of HO. Conclusions: Within the SCI literature, NSAIDs showed the greatest efficacy in the prevention of HO when administered early after a SCI, and biphosphonates were found to be the most effective treatment strategy. In the TBI population, surgical excision was the most effective treatment. Show more

Keywords: Spinal cord injury, brain injury, therapeutic interventions, heterotopic ossification

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0643

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 151-160, 2011

Authors: Shavelle, Robert | Katz, Richard T. | MacKenzie, Ross | Rosenbloom, Lewis | DeVivo, Michael | Hutton, Jane | Strauss, David | Day, Steven | Brooks, Jordan

Article Type: Letter

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0644

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 161-161, 2011

Authors: Wilkinson, David | Sakel, Mohamed | Milberg, William

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Hemi-spatial neglect is a disabling, neuropsychological impairment that restricts the ability to attend to incoming information on one side space. Most frequently associated with a lesion to the right hemisphere, the disorder is strongly predictive of general functional recovery from stroke. Although the standard therapy is of limited effectiveness, pilot studies indicate that more effective treatments may follow. Interest in these new potential treatments is, however, beginning to wane as few have progressed to the stage of randomised, controlled clinical trials. In this brief commentary, we point out that the absence of trials data not only reflects the preliminary nature …of new treatments, but also the practical difficulties associated with meeting the target enrolment figures of large-scale trials. These problems have likewise slowed the development of treatments for other cognitive disorders. We suggest ways in which this problem may be overcome. Show more

Keywords: Visual attention, clinical intervention, participant recruitment

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0645

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 163-165, 2011