Hypertensive encephalopathy as a late complication of autonomic dysreflexia in a 12-year-old boy with a previous spinal cord injury

The Role of Hydrogen Sulfide in Regulation of Cell Death following Neurotrauma and Related Neurodegenerative and Psychiatric Diseases

Injuries of the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are a serious problem of the modern healthcare system. The situation is complicated by the lack of clinically effective neuroprotective drugs that can protect damaged neurons and glial cells from death. In addition, people who have undergone neurotrauma often develop mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases that worsen the quality of life up to severe disability and death. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a gaseous signaling molecule that performs various cellular functions in normal and pathological conditions. However, the role of H₂S in neurotrauma and mental disorders remains unexplored and sometimes controversial. In this large-scale review study, we examined the various biological effects of H₂S associated with survival and cell death in trauma to the brain, spinal cord, and PNS, and the signaling mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of mental illnesses, such as cognitive impairment, encephalopathy, depression and anxiety disorders, epilepsy and chronic pain. We also studied the role of H₂S in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, we reviewed the current state of the art study of H₂S donors as neuroprotectors and the possibility of their therapeutic uses in medicine. Our study showed that H₂S has great neuroprotective potential. H₂S reduces oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and neuroinflammation; inhibits processes associated with apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis and pyroptosis; prevents the destruction of the blood-brain barrier; increases the expression of neurotrophic factors; and models the activity of Ca²⁺ channels in neurotrauma. In addition, H₂S activates neuroprotective signaling pathways in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. However, high levels of H₂S can cause cytotoxic effects. Thus, the development of H₂S-associated neuroprotectors seems to be especially relevant. However, so far, all H₂S modulators are at the stage of preclinical trials. Nevertheless, many of them show a high neuroprotective effect in various animal models of neurotrauma and related disorders. Despite the fact that our review is very extensive and detailed, it is well structured right down to the conclusions, which will allow researchers to quickly find the proper information they are interested in.

The safety of epidural spinal cord stimulation to restore function after spinal cord injury: post-surgical complications and incidence of cardiovascular events

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort prospective study.

OBJECTIVES

Epidural spinal cord stimulation (eSCS) improves volitional motor and autonomic function after spinal cord injury (SCI). While eSCS has an established history of safety for chronic pain, it remains unclear if eSCS in the SCI population presents the same risk profile. We aimed to assess safety and autonomic monitoring data for the first 14 participants in the E-STAND trial.

SETTING

Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis and Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minnesota, USA.

METHODS

Monthly follow-up visits assessed surgical and medical device-related safety outcomes as well as stimulation usage. Beat-by-beat blood pressure (BP) and continuous electrocardiogram data were collected during head-up tilt-table testing with and without eSCS.

RESULTS

All participants had a motor-complete SCI. Mean (SD) age and time since injury were 38 (10) and 7 (5) years, respectively. There were no surgical complications but one device malfunction 4 months post implantation. Stimulation was applied for up to 23 h/day, across a broad range of parameters: frequency (18-700 Hz), pulse width (100-600 µs), and amplitude (0.4-17 mA), with no adverse events reported. Tilt-table testing with eSCS demonstrated no significant increases in the incidence of elevated systolic BP or a greater frequency of arrhythmias.

CONCLUSIONS

eSCS to restore autonomic and volitional motor function following SCI has a similar safety profile as when used to treat chronic pain, despite the prevalence of significant comorbidities and the wide variety of stimulation parameters tested.

Autonomic Dysreflexia following Spinal Cord Injury

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is a potentially life-threatening condition of the autonomic nervous system following spinal cord injury at or above T6. One of the most common symptoms is a sudden increase in blood pressure induced by afferent sensory stimulation owing to unmodulated reflex sympathetic hyperactivity. Such episodes of high blood pressure might be associated with a high risk of cerebral or retinal hemorrhage, seizures, heart failure, or pulmonary edema. In-depth knowledge is, therefore, crucial for the proper management of the AD, especially for spine surgeons, who encounter these patients quite often in their clinical practice. Systematical review of the literature dealing with strategies to prevent and manage this challenging condition was done by two independent reviewers. Studies that failed to assess primary (prevention, treatment strategies and management) and secondary outcomes (clinical symptomatology, presentation) were excluded. A bibliographical search revealed 85 eligible studies that provide a variety of preventive and treatment measures for the subjects affected by AD. As these measures are predominantly based on noncontrolled trials, long-term prospectively controlled multicenter studies are warranted to validate these preventive and therapeutic proposals.

A Systematic Review of the Scientific Literature for Rehabilitation/Habilitation Among Individuals With Pediatric-Onset Spinal Cord Injury

Objectives

To conduct a systematic review to examine the scientific literature for rehabilitation/habilitation among individuals with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods

A literature search of multiple databases (i.e., PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsychINFO) was conducted and was filtered to include studies involving humans, published as full-length articles up to December 2020, and in English. Included studies met the following inclusion criteria: (1) ≥50% of the study sample had experienced a traumatic, acquired, nonprogressive spinal cord injury (SCI) or a nontraumatic, acquired, noncongenital SCI; (2) SCI onset occurred at ≤21 years of age; and (3) sample was assessed for a rehabilitation/habilitation-related topic. Studies were assigned a level of evidence using an adapted Sackett scale modified down to five levels. Data extracted from each study included author(s), year of publication, country of origin, study design, subject characteristics, rehabilitation/habilitation topic area, intervention (if applicable), and outcome measures.

Results

One hundred seventy-six studies were included for review (1974-2020) with the majority originating from the United States (81.3%). Most studies were noninterventional observational studies (n = 100; 56.8%) or noninterventional case report studies (n = 5; 2.8%). Sample sizes ranged from 1 to 3172 with a median of 26 (interquartile range [IQR], 116.5). Rehabilitation/habilitation topics were categorized by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF); most studies evaluated ICF Body Function. There were 69 unique clinical health outcome measures reported.

Conclusion

The evidence for rehabilitation/habilitation of pediatric-onset SCI is extremely limited; nearly all studies (98%) are level 4-5 evidence. Future studies across several domains should be conducted with novel approaches to research design to alleviate issues related to sample sizes and heterogeneity.

Tripartite intensive intervention for prevention of rebleeding in elderly patients with hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage (HICH) is the rupture and bleeding of vessels of the cerebral parenchyma caused by continuously elevated or violently fluctuating blood pressure. The condition is characterized by high disability and high mortality. Hematoma formation and resulting space-occupying effects following intracerebral hemorrhage are among the key causes of impaired neurological function and disability. Consequently, minimally invasive clearance of the hematoma is undertaken for the treatment of HICH because it can effectively relieve intracranial hypertension. Therefore, special attention should be given to the quality of medical and nursing interventions in the convalescent period after minimally invasive hematoma clearance.

AIM

The study aim was to determine the value of intensive intervention, including doctors, nurses, and patient families, for the prevention of rebleeding in elderly patients with HICH during the first hospitalization for rehabilitation after the ictal event

METHODS

A total of 150 elderly HICH patients with minimally invasive hematoma evacuation in our hospital between May 2018 and May 2020 were selected and equally divided into two groups of 75 each by their planned intervention. The control group was given conventional nursing intervention and the observation group was given tripartite intensive intervention. The length of hospital stay, cost, complication rate, satisfaction rate, and rebleeding rate during hospitalization were recorded. Changes in cerebral blood flow indicators were recorded in both groups. Changes in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, quality of life index (QLI) score, and health behavior score were evaluated at the National Institutes of Health.

RESULTS

Duration of hospitalization was shorter in the in the observation group than in the control group, the hospitalization cost was less than in the control group, and the rate of rebleeding during hospitalization was lower than in the control group (all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups before treatment (all P > 0.05). The mean flow rate (Q_mean) and mean velocity (V_mean) of the two groups increased (P < 0.05), and the dynamic resistance and peripheral resistance decreased (P < 0.05). The Q_mean and V_mean in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the dynamic resistance and peripheral resistance of the blood vessels were also lower in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The difference in health behavior scores between the two groups before treatment was not significant (P > 0.05). In both groups, the scores for healthy behaviors such as emotion control, medication adherence, dietary management, exercise management, and self-monitoring were higher after than before treatment (P < 0.05), and the scores of healthy behaviors in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the NIHSS and QLI scores between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). The QLI scores of the two groups increased (P < 0.05), and the NIHSS scores decreased (P < 0.05). The QLI scores of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05), and the NIHSS score was correspondingly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of respiratory infections, pressure sores, central hyperpyrexia, and deep venous thrombosis was lower in the intervention group than in the control group. Accordingly, the satisfaction rate was higher in the treatment group than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Intensive intervention by doctors, nurses, and families of elderly patients with HICH reduced the rate of rebleeding during hospitalization. It also reduced the incidence of complications, promoted rehabilitation, improved the quality of life, and enhanced nerve function. Additionally, it improved satisfaction and promoted healthy behaviors.

Seizures: A Rare Presentation of Autonomic Dysreflexia in a Young Adult with Complete Spinal Cord Injury

BACKGROUND

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is a common complication for individuals with cervical or upper-mid thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI). It is a life-threatening emergency; however, it is rarely encountered by many emergency physicians, thus, ongoing awareness of the topic is necessary.

CASE REPORT

An 18-year-old man with cervical spinal cord injury presented to the Emergency Department with headache, nausea, elevated blood pressure, and seizures. He was treated with antiepileptics and transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The PICU care team recognized AD as the cause of the seizure, secondary to a clogged suprapubic catheter causing overdistension of his bladder. Once replaced, over 1 liter of urine drained from his bladder and his autonomic symptoms resolved. He became hypotensive and required fluid resuscitation, but no further seizures occurred. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Although rare, AD can result in seizures, intracerebral hemorrhage, or even death if not recognized or treated appropriately. Emergency physicians should recognize headaches, facial flushing, and sweating as early symptoms of AD, along with acute elevation in blood pressure (noting that baseline blood pressure may be lower in individuals with SCI). Management involves evaluating and treating noxious stimuli below the level of neurologic injury. Symptom management alone, without resolution of the underlying issue, can add to morbidity and mortality.

Bladder Management in Children: Intermittent Catheterization Education

Clean intermittent catheterization (IC) of the bladder is one example of advanced medical care required by students with special health care needs. The success of a child's intermittent catheterization program in a community setting such as a school is dependent on an educated team. This article discusses indications and problems that arise with IC bladder management in the pediatric population. The article also provides information about current best practice for IC management to assist school nurses in the optimization of bladder health.

Rapamycin Exacerbates Cardiovascular Dysfunction after Complete High-Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is a potentially life-threatening syndrome in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) above the T6 spinal level that is characterized by episodic hypertension in response to noxious stimuli below the lesion. Maladaptive intraspinal plasticity is thought to contribute to the temporal development of AD, and experimental approaches that reduce such plasticity mitigate the severity of AD. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has gained interest as a mediator of plasticity, regeneration, and nociceptor hypersensitivity in the injured spinal cord. Based on our preliminary data that prolonged rapamycin (RAP) treatment markedly reduces mTOR activity in the cord weeks after high-thoracic (T4) spinal transection, we sought to determine whether RAP could modulate AD development by impeding intraspinal plasticity. Naïve and injured rats were administered RAP or vehicle every other day, beginning immediately after injury for four weeks, and hemodynamic monitoring was conducted to analyze the frequency of spontaneously occurring AD, as well as the severity of colorectal distention (CRD) induced AD. Results showed that after SCI, RAP significantly exacerbated sustained body weight loss and caused a marked elevation in resting blood pressure, with average daily blood pressure rising above even normal naïve levels within one week after injury. Moreover, RAP significantly increased the frequency of daily spontaneous AD and increased the absolute blood pressure induced by CRD at three weeks post-injury. These dynamic cardiovascular effects were not, however, correlated with changes in the density of nociceptive c-fibers or c-Fos+ neurons throughout the spinal cord, indicating that intraspinal plasticity associated with AD was not altered by treatment. These findings caution against the use of RAP as a therapeutic intervention for SCI because it evokes toxic weight loss and exacerbates cardiovascular dysfunction perhaps mediated by increased peripheral nociceptor sensitivity and/or vascular resistance.

Autonomic dysreflexia after spinal cord injury: Systemic pathophysiology and methods of management

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) has widespread physiological effects beyond the disruption of sensory and motor function, notably the loss of normal autonomic and cardiovascular control. Injury at or above the sixth thoracic spinal cord segment segregates critical spinal sympathetic neurons from supraspinal modulation which can result in a syndrome known as autonomic dysreflexia (AD). AD is defined as episodic hypertension and concomitant baroreflex-mediated bradycardia initiated by unmodulated sympathetic reflexes in the decentralized cord. This condition is often triggered by noxious yet unperceived visceral or somatic stimuli below the injury level and if severe enough can require immediate medical attention. Herein, we review the pathophysiological mechanisms germane to the development of AD, including maladaptive plasticity of neural circuits mediating abnormal sympathetic reflexes and hypersensitization of peripheral vasculature that collectively contribute to abnormal hemodynamics after SCI. Further, we discuss the systemic effects of recurrent AD and pharmacological treatments used to manage such episodes. Contemporary research avenues are then presented to better understand the relative contributions of underlying mechanisms and to elucidate the effects of recurring AD on cardiovascular and immune functions for developing more targeted and effective treatments to attenuate the development of this insidious syndrome following high-level SCI.