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Brockie S, Zhou C, Fehlings MG. Resident immune responses to spinal cord injury: role of astrocytes and microglia. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1678-1685. [PMID: 38103231 PMCID: PMC10960308 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.389630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury can be traumatic or non-traumatic in origin, with the latter rising in incidence and prevalence with the aging demographics of our society. Moreover, as the global population ages, individuals with co-existent degenerative spinal pathology comprise a growing number of traumatic spinal cord injury cases, especially involving the cervical spinal cord. This makes recovery and treatment approaches particularly challenging as age and comorbidities may limit regenerative capacity. For these reasons, it is critical to better understand the complex milieu of spinal cord injury lesion pathobiology and the ensuing inflammatory response. This review discusses microglia-specific purinergic and cytokine signaling pathways, as well as microglial modulation of synaptic stability and plasticity after injury. Further, we evaluate the role of astrocytes in neurotransmission and calcium signaling, as well as their border-forming response to neural lesions. Both the inflammatory and reparative roles of these cells have eluded our complete understanding and remain key therapeutic targets due to their extensive structural and functional roles in the nervous system. Recent advances have shed light on the roles of glia in neurotransmission and reparative injury responses that will change how interventions are directed. Understanding key processes and existing knowledge gaps will allow future research to effectively target these cells and harness their regenerative potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Brockie
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cindy Zhou
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Dhawan A, Dhawan J, Sharma AN, Azzam DB, Cherry A, Fehlings MG. Familial Chiari malformation: a systematic review and illustrative cases. J Neurosurg Spine 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38608294 DOI: 10.3171/2024.1.spine231277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chiari malformations (CMs) are a group of congenital or acquired disorders characterized by hindbrain overcrowding into an underdeveloped posterior cranial fossa. CM is considered largely sporadic-however, there exists growing evidence of transmissible genetic underpinnings. The purpose of this systematic review of all familial studies of CM was to investigate the existence of an inherited component and provide recommendations to manage and monitor at-risk family members. METHODS This paper includes the following: 1) a unique case report of dizygotic twins who presented at the Toronto Western Hospital Spinal Cord Clinic with symptomatic CM type 1 (CM-1) and syringomyelia; and 2) a systematic review of familial CM. The EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were searched on June 27, 2023, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Only articles in the English language concerning the diagnosis of CM in > 1 human family member presented as a case study, case series, or literature review were included. RESULTS Among the 29 articles included in the final analysis, a total of 34 families with CM were analyzed. An average of 3 cases of CM were found per family among all generations. Eighty-one cases (88%) reported CM-1, whereas the other 11 (12%) cases reported either CM-0, CM-1.5, or tonsillar ectopia. A syrinx was present in 37 (54%) cases, with 14 (38%) of these patients also reporting a skeletal abnormality, the most common comorbidity. Most family members diagnosed with CM were siblings (18; 35%), followed by monozygotic twins/triplets (12; 23%). CONCLUSIONS Patients most often presented with headaches, sensory disturbances, or generalized symptoms. Overall, there exists mounting evidence for a hereditary component of CM. It is unlikely to be explained by a classic mendelian inheritance pattern, but is rather a polygenic architecture influenced by variable penetrance, cosegregation, and entirely nongenetic factors. For first-degree relatives of those affected by CM, the authors' findings may influence clinicians to conduct closer clinical and radiographic monitoring, promote patient education, and consider earlier genetic testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina Dhawan
- 1Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jillian Dhawan
- 2Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ajay N Sharma
- 3School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, California
| | - Daniel B Azzam
- 4New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ahmed Cherry
- 5Spine Program, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- 6Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and
- 7Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Badhiwala JH, Witiw CD, Wilson JR, da Costa LB, Nathens AB, Fehlings MG. Treatment of Acute Traumatic Central Cord Syndrome: A Study of North American Trauma Centers. Neurosurgery 2024; 94:700-710. [PMID: 38038474 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Central cord syndrome (CCS) is expected to become the most common traumatic spinal cord injury, yet its optimal management remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate variability in nonoperative vs operative treatment for CCS between trauma centers in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program, identify patient- and hospital-level factors associated with treatment, and determine the association of treatment with outcomes. METHODS Adults with CCS were identified from the Trauma Quality Improvement Program database (2014-2016). Mixed-effects modeling with a random intercept for trauma centers was used to examine the adjusted association of patient- and hospital-level variables with nonoperative treatment. The random-effects output of the model assessed the risk-adjusted variability in nonoperative treatment across centers. Outlier hospitals were identified, and the median odds ratio was calculated. The adjusted effect of nonoperative treatment on mortality, morbidity, and hospital length of stay (LOS) was examined at the patient and hospital level by mixed-effects regression. RESULTS Three thousand, nine hundred twenty-eight patients across 255 centers were eligible; of these, 1523 (38.8%) were treated nonoperatively. Older age, noncommercial insurance (odds ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% CI 1.08-1.48, P = .004), absence of fracture (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.49-0.68, P < .001), severe head injury (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09-1.82, P = .008), and comatose presentation (1.82, 95% CI 1.15-2.89, P = .011) were associated with nonoperative treatment. Twenty-eight hospitals were outliers, and the median odds ratio was 2.02. Patients receiving nonoperative treatment had shorter LOS (mean difference -4.65 days). Nonoperative treatment was associated with lesser in-hospital morbidity (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.37-0.63, P < .001) at the patient level. There was no difference in mortality. CONCLUSION Operative decision-making for CCS is influenced by patient factors. There remains substantial variability between trauma centers not explained by case-mix differences. Nonoperative treatment was associated with shorter hospital LOS and lesser inpatient morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jetan H Badhiwala
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Christopher D Witiw
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Jefferson R Wilson
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Leodante B da Costa
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Avery B Nathens
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
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Mofatteh M, Mashayekhi MS, Arfaie S, Chen Y, Malhotra AK, Skandalakis GP, Alvi MA, Afshari FT, Meshkat S, Lin F, Abdulla E, Anand A, Liao X, McIntyre RS, Santaguida C, Weber MH, Fehlings MG. Anxiety and Depression in Pediatric-Onset Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review. World Neurosurg 2024; 184:267-282.e5. [PMID: 38143027 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.12.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a debilitating neurological condition with significant long-term consequences on the mental health and well-being of affected individuals. We aimed to investigate anxiety and depression in individuals with pediatric-onset TSCI. METHODS PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to December 20th, 2022 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, and studies were included according to the eligibility criteria. RESULTS A total of 1013 articles were screened, and 18 studies with 4234 individuals were included in the final review. Of these, 1613 individuals (38.1%) had paraplegia, whereas 1658 (39.2%) had tetraplegia. A total of 1831 participants (43.2%) had complete TSCI, whereas 1024 (24.2%) had incomplete TSCI. The most common etiology of TSCI with 1545 people (36.5%) was motor vehicle accidents. The youngest mean age at the time of injury was 5.92 ± 4.92 years, whereas the oldest was 14.6 ± 2.8 years. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was the most common psychological assessment used in 9 studies (50.0%). Various risk factors, including pain in 4 studies (22.2%), reduced sleep quality, reduced functional independence, illicit drug use, incomplete injury, hospitalization, reduced quality of life, and duration of injury in 2 (11.1%) studies, each, were associated with elevated anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS Different biopsychosocial risk factors contribute to elevated rates of anxiety and depression among individuals with pediatric-onset TSCI. Individuals at risk of developing anxiety and depression should be identified, and targeted support should be provided. Future large-scale studies with long-term follow-up are required to validate and extend these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mofatteh
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; Neuro International Collaboration (NIC), London, UK.
| | - Mohammad Sadegh Mashayekhi
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Neuro International Collaboration (NIC), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Saman Arfaie
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA; Neuro International Collaboration (NIC), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yimin Chen
- Department of Neurology, Foshan Sanshui District People's Hospital, Foshan, China; Neuro International Collaboration (NIC), Foshan, China
| | - Armaan K Malhotra
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neuro International Collaboration (NIC), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Georgios P Skandalakis
- First Department of Neurosurgery, Evangelismos General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neuro International Collaboration (NIC), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Fardad T Afshari
- Department of Neurosurgery, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Shakila Meshkat
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Famu Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, China
| | - Ebtesam Abdulla
- Department of Neurosurgery, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Ayush Anand
- B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Xuxing Liao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Foshan Sanshui District People's Hospital, Foshan, China; Department of Surgery of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Foshan First People's Hospital, Foshan, China
| | - Roger S McIntyre
- Neuro International Collaboration (NIC), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Carlo Santaguida
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael H Weber
- Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Injury, Repair and Recovery Program, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery and Spinal Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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5
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Schneider MM, Badhiwala JH, Alvi MA, Tetreault LA, Kalsi P, Idler RK, Wilson JR, Fehlings MG. Prevalence of Neck Pain in Patients with Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Short-Term Response After Operative Treatment: A Cohort Study of 664 Patients From 26 Global Sites. Global Spine J 2024; 14:830-838. [PMID: 36073893 DOI: 10.1177/21925682221124098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Ambispective cohort study. OBJECTIVES 1) To define the prevalence of neck pain in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). 2) To identify associated factors of preoperative neck pain in patients with DCM. 3) To assess the neck pain response to surgical intervention. METHODS 757 patients with DCM were enrolled at 26 global sites from 2005 to 2011. A total of 664 patients had complete neck pain scores preoperatively (Neck Disability Index, NDI). The prevalence and severity of neck pain preoperatively and at the 6-months follow-up was summarized. Functional assessments of individuals with and without pain were compared. Associations of preoperative neck pain and related factors were evaluated. RESULTS Preoperatively, 79.2% of patients reported neck pain while 20.8% had no neck pain. Of individuals with neck pain, 20.2% rated their pain as very mild, 27.9% as moderate, 19.6% as fairly severe, 9.6% as very severe and 1.9% as the worst imaginable. Functional status (mJOA), number of stenotic levels, age, and duration of symptoms did not significantly differ in patients with and without pain. Factors associated with the presence of neck pain were female gender, BMI ≥27 kg/m2, rheumatologic and gastrointestinal comorbidities, and age <57 years. Neck pain improved significantly from the preoperative examination to the 6-months postoperative follow-up (P < .0001). CONCLUSION Here, we demonstrate a high prevalence of neck pain in patients with DCM as well as a link between gender, body weight, comorbidity and age. We highlight a significant reduction in neck pain 6 months after surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel M Schneider
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jetan H Badhiwala
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lindsay A Tetreault
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Pratipal Kalsi
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Randy K Idler
- Hackensack Meridian Health JFK University Medical Center, Edison, NJ, USA
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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6
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Luo Z, Zhuang K, Kim SJ, Vollett KDW, Lou Z, Wang J, Cheng HYM, Khazaei M, Fehlings MG, Cheng HLM. Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Tracking of Transplanted Neural Progenitor Cells in the Spinal Cord Utilizing the Bright-Ferritin Mechanism. Stem Cells Transl Med 2024:szae016. [PMID: 38457239 DOI: 10.1093/stcltm/szae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) hold promise for treating spinal cord injury. Studies to date have focused on improving their regenerative potential and therapeutic effect. Equally important is ensuring successful delivery and engraftment of hNPCs at the injury site. Unfortunately, no current imaging solution for cell tracking is compatible with long-term monitoring in vivo. The objective of this study was to apply a novel bright-ferritin magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) mechanism to track hNPC transplants longitudinally and on demand in the rat spinal cord. We genetically modified hNPCs to stably overexpress human ferritin. Ferritin-overexpressing (FT) hNPCs labeled with 0.2 mM manganese provided significant T1-induced bright contrast on in vitro MRI, with no adverse effect on cell viability, morphology, proliferation, and differentiation. In vivo, 2 M cells were injected into the cervical spinal cord of Rowett nude rats. MRI employed T1-weighted acquisitions and T1 mapping on a 3 T scanner. Conventional short-term cell tracking was performed using exogenous Mn labeling prior to cell transplantation, which displayed transient bright contrast on MRI 1 day after cell transplantation and disappeared after 1 week. In contrast, long-term cell tracking using bright-ferritin allowed on-demand signal recall upon Mn supplementation and precise visualization of the surviving hNPC graft. In fact, this new cell tracking technology identified 7 weeks post-transplantation as the timepoint by which substantial hNPC integration occurred. Spatial distribution of hNPCs on MRI matched that on histology. In summary, bright-ferritin provides the first demonstration of long-term, on-demand, high-resolution, and specific tracking of hNPCs in the rat spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixiang Luo
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Spine Surgery and Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keyu Zhuang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Seong Jun Kim
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kyle D W Vollett
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zijian Lou
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jian Wang
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hai-Ying Mary Cheng
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohamad Khazaei
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Matsoukas S, Zipser CM, Zipser-Mohammadzada F, Kheram N, Boraschi A, Jiang Z, Tetreault L, Fehlings MG, Davies BM, Margetis K. Scoping Review with Topic Modeling on the Diagnostic Criteria for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. Global Spine J 2024:21925682241237469. [PMID: 38442295 DOI: 10.1177/21925682241237469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN This study is a scoping review. OBJECTIVE There is a broad variability in the definition of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and no standardized set of diagnostic criteria to date. METHODS We interrogated the Myelopathy.org database, a hand-indexed database of primary clinical studies conducted exclusively on DCM in humans between 2005-2021. The DCM inclusion criteria used in these studies were inputted into 3 topic modeling algorithms: Hierarchical Dirichlet Process (HDP), Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), and BERtopic. The emerging topics were subjected to manual labeling and interpretation. RESULTS Of 1676 reports, 120 papers (7.16%) had well-defined inclusion criteria and were subjected to topic modeling. Four topics emerged from the HDP model: disturbance from extremity weakness and motor signs; fine-motor and sensory disturbance of upper extremity; a combination of imaging and clinical findings is required for the diagnosis; and "reinforcing" (or modifying) factors that can aid in the diagnosis in borderline cases. The LDA model showed the following topics: disturbance to the patient is required for the diagnosis; reinforcing factors can aid in the diagnosis in borderline cases; clinical findings from the extremities; and a combination of imaging and clinical findings is required for the diagnosis. BERTopic identified the following topics: imaging abnormality, typical clinical features, range of objective criteria, and presence of clinical findings. CONCLUSIONS This review provides quantifiable data that only a minority of past studies in DCM provided meaningful inclusion criteria. The items and patterns found here are very useful for the development of diagnostic criteria for DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros Matsoukas
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carl Moritz Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Najmeh Kheram
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- The Interface Group, Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Boraschi
- The Interface Group, Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zhilin Jiang
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Lindsay Tetreault
- Department of Neurology, Langone Health, Graduate Medical Education, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto and Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin M Davies
- Myelopathy.org, International Charity for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Konstantinos Margetis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Hejrati N, Srikandarajah N, Alvi MA, Quddusi A, Tetreault LA, Guest JD, Marco RAW, Kirshblum S, Martin AR, Strantzas S, Arnold PM, Basu S, Evaniew N, Kwon BK, Skelly AC, Fehlings MG. The Management of Intraoperative Spinal Cord Injury - A Scoping Review. Global Spine J 2024; 14:150S-165S. [PMID: 38526924 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231196505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Scoping Review. OBJECTIVE To review the literature and summarize information on checklists and algorithms for responding to intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) alerts and management of intraoperative spinal cord injuries (ISCIs). METHODS MEDLINE® was searched from inception through January 26, 2022 as were sources of grey literature. We attempted to obtain guidelines and/or consensus statements from the following sources: American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM), American Academy of Neurology (AAN), American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, NASS (North American Spine Society), and other spine surgery organizations. RESULTS Of 16 studies reporting on management strategies for ISCIs, two were publications of consensus meetings which were conducted according to the Delphi method and eight were retrospective cohort studies. The remaining six studies were narrative reviews that proposed intraoperative checklists and management strategies for IONM alerts. Of note, 56% of included studies focused only on patients undergoing spinal deformity surgery. Intraoperative considerations and measures taken in the event of an ISCI are divided and reported in three categories of i) Anesthesiologic, ii) Neurophysiological/Technical, and iii) Surgical management strategies. CONCLUSION There is a paucity of literature on comparative effectiveness and harms of management strategies in response to an IONM alert and possible ISCI. There is a pressing need to develop a standardized checklist and care pathway to avoid and minimize the risk of postoperative neurologic sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Neurosurgery & Spine Center of Eastern Switzerland, Cantonal Hospital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Nisaharan Srikandarajah
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ayesha Quddusi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - James D Guest
- Department of Neurosurgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Rex A W Marco
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Steven Kirshblum
- Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Samuel Strantzas
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Paul M Arnold
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Fehlings MG, Quddusi A, Skelly AC, Brodt ED, Moghaddamjou A, Malvea A, Hejrati N, Srikandarajah N, Alvi MA, Stabler-Morris S, Dettori JR, Tetreault LA, Evaniew N, Kwon BK. Definition, Frequency and Risk Factors for Intra-Operative Spinal Cord Injury: A Knowledge Synthesis. Global Spine J 2024; 14:80S-104S. [PMID: 38526927 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231190613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Mixed-methods approach. OBJECTIVES Intra-operative spinal cord injury (ISCI) is a devastating complication of spinal surgery. Presently, a uniform definition for ISCI does not exist. Consequently, the reported frequency of ISCI and important risk factors vary in the existing literature. To address these gaps in knowledge, a mixed-methods knowledge synthesis was undertaken. METHODS A scoping review was conducted to review the definitions used for ISCI and to ascertain the frequency of ISCI. The definition of ISCI underwent formal review, revision and voting by the Guidelines Development Group (GDG). A systematic review of the literature was conducted to determine the risk factors for ISCI. Based on this systematic review and GDG input, a table was created to summarize the factors deemed to increase the risk for ISCI. All reviews were done according to PRISMA standards and were registered on PROSPERO. RESULTS The frequency of ISCI ranged from 0 to 61%. Older age, male sex, cardiovascular disease including hypertension, severe myelopathy, blood loss, requirement for osteotomy, coronal deformity angular ratio, and curve magnitude were associated with an increased risk of ISCI. Better pre-operative neurological status and use of intra-operative neuromonitoring (IONM) were associated with a decreased risk of ISCI. The risk factors for ISCI included a rigid thoracic curve with high deformity angular ratio, revision congenital deformity with significant cord compression and myelopathy, extrinsic intradural or extradural lesions with cord compression and myelopathy, intramedullary spinal cord tumor, unstable spine fractures (bilateral facet dislocation and disc herniation), extension distraction injury with ankylosing spondylitis, ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) with severe cord compression, and moderate to severe myelopathy. CONCLUSIONS ISCI has been defined as "a new or worsening neurological deficit attributable to spinal cord dysfunction during spine surgery that is diagnosed intra-operatively via neurophysiologic monitoring or by an intraoperative wake-up test, or immediately post-operatively based on clinical assessment". This paper defines clinical and imaging factors which increase the risk for ISCI and that could assist clinicians in decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ayesha Quddusi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Ali Moghaddamjou
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anahita Malvea
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nisaharan Srikandarajah
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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10
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Kwon BK, Tetreault LA, Evaniew N, Skelly AC, Fehlings MG. AO Spine/Praxis Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Acute Spinal Cord Injury: An Introduction to a Focus Issue. Global Spine J 2024; 14:5S-9S. [PMID: 38526930 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231189928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Narrative overview and summary. OBJECTIVES The objective of this introductory manuscript is to provide an overview of the effort that was undertaken to establish clinical practice guidelines for a number of important topics in spinal cord injury (SCI). These topics included: 1. The role and timing of surgical decompression after acute traumatic SCI; 2. The hemodynamic management of acute traumatic SCI; and 3. The definition, diagnosis, and management of intra-operative SCI. Here, we introduce the rationale for the guidelines, the methodology utilized, and summarize how the topics are addressed within various manuscripts of this Focus Issue. METHODS The key clinical questions were defined using the PICO format for treatment reviews (patient; intervention; comparison; outcomes) or PPO format (patient, prognostic factor, outcomes) for risk factor review. Multi-disciplinary, international guideline development groups (GDGs) were established to evaluate and collate the available evidence in a rigorous, systematic manner, followed by a review of systematically obtained evidence within the framework of the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria and application of the Evidence to Decision process. Consensus meetings, using a modified Delphi approach, were held with the multidisciplinary, international GDGs using online video-conferencing technology and anonymous voting to develop the final recommendations for each of the topics addressed. All systematic review protocols followed PRISMA standards and were registered on PROSPERO; all potential conflicts were vetted in an open and transparent manner. The funders (AO Spine and Praxis Spinal Cord Institute) had no influence over editorial content or the guidelines process). RESULTS Updated guidelines were established for the timing of surgical decompression after acute SCI, with surgical decompression within 24 hours of injury now "recommended" as a treatment option. Updated guidelines were also established for hemodynamic management, with an expanded target range for mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 75-80 to 90-95 mmHg for between 3 to 7 days post-injury now "suggested" as a treatment option. The available literature mandated scoping and systematic reviews on the topic of intra-operative SCI, and this resulted in manuscripts to address the definition, frequency, and risk factors, to define the role of intra-operative neuromonitoring, and to suggest an evidence-based care pathway for management. CONCLUSION A rigorous process following GRADE standards was undertaken to review the available evidence and establish guideline recommendations around the role and timing of surgery in acute SCI, optimal hemodynamic management of acute SCI and the prevention, diagnosis and management of intraoperative SCI. This effort also identified key knowledge gaps and future directions for study, which will serve to refine these recommendations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Nathan Evaniew
- Department of Surgery, McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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11
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Hachem LD, Zhu M, Aarabi B, Davies B, DiGiorgio A, Evaniew N, Fehlings MG, Ganau M, Graves D, Guest J, Ha Y, Harrop J, Hofstetter C, Koljonen P, Kurpad S, Marco R, Martin AR, Nagoshi N, Nouri A, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Rodrigues-Pinto R, ter Wengel V, Tetreault L, Kwon B, Wilson JR. A Practical Classification System for Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Based on a Three-Phased Modified Delphi Process From the AOSpine Spinal Cord Injury Knowledge Forum. Global Spine J 2024; 14:535-545. [PMID: 36065656 PMCID: PMC10802531 DOI: 10.1177/21925682221114800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN A modified Delphi study. OBJECTIVE To assess current practice patterns in the management of cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and develop a simplified, practical classification system which offers ease of use in the acute setting, incorporates modern diagnostic tools and provides utility in determining treatment strategies for cervical SCI. METHODS A three-phase modified Delphi procedure was performed between April 2020 and December 2021. During the first phase, members of the AOSpine SCI Knowledge forum proposed variables of importance for classifying and treating cervical SCI. The second phase involved an international survey of spine surgeons gauging practices surrounding the role and timing of surgery for cervical SCI and opinions regarding factors which most influence these practices. For the third phase, information obtained from phases 1 and 2 were used to draft a new classification system. RESULTS 396 surgeons responded to the survey. Neurological status, spinal stability and cord compression were the most important variables influencing decisions surrounding the role and timing of surgery. The majority (>50%) of respondents preferred to perform surgery within 24 hours post-SCI in clinical scenarios in which there was instability, severe cord compression or severe neurology. Situations in which <50% of respondents were inclined to operate early included: SCI with mild neurological impairments, with cord compression but without instability (with or without medical comorbidities), and SCI without cord compression or instability. CONCLUSIONS Spinal stability, cord compression and neurological status are the most important variables influencing surgeons' practices surrounding the surgical management of cervical SCI. Based on these results, a simplified classification system for acute cervical SCI has been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary Zhu
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge UK
| | | | - Nathan Evaniew
- Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, USA
| | | | - Mario Ganau
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | | | - James Guest
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Yoon Ha
- Yonsei University, Seodaemun-gu, Korea
| | - James Harrop
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Paul Koljonen
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Shekar Kurpad
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Rex Marco
- Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Narihito Nagoshi
- Department of Orthopaedics, Keio University School of Medicine Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Aria Nouri
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve, Genève, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Valerie ter Wengel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Amsterdam UMC VUMC Site, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Brian Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, USA
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12
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Kwon BK, Tetreault LA, Martin AR, Arnold PM, Marco RAW, Newcombe VFJ, Zipser CM, McKenna SL, Korupolu R, Neal CJ, Saigal R, Glass NE, Douglas S, Ganau M, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Harrop JS, Aarabi B, Wilson JR, Evaniew N, Skelly AC, Fehlings MG. A Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Patients With Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Recommendations on Hemodynamic Management. Global Spine J 2024; 14:187S-211S. [PMID: 38526923 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231202348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Clinical practice guideline development following the GRADE process. OBJECTIVES Hemodynamic management is one of the only available treatment options that likely improves neurologic outcomes in patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Augmenting mean arterial pressure (MAP) aims to improve blood perfusion and oxygen delivery to the injured spinal cord in order to minimize secondary ischemic damage to neural tissue. The objective of this guideline was to update the 2013 AANS/CNS recommendations on the hemodynamic management of patients with acute traumatic SCI, acknowledging that much has been published in this area since its publication. Specifically, we sought to make recommendations on 1. The range of mean arterial pressure (MAP) to be maintained by identifying an upper and lower MAP limit; 2. The duration of such MAP augmentation; and 3. The choice of vasopressor. Additionally, we sought to make a recommendation on spinal cord perfusion pressure (SCPP) targets. METHODS A multidisciplinary guideline development group (GDG) was formed that included health care professionals from a wide range of clinical specialities, patient advocates, and individuals living with SCI. The GDG reviewed the 2013 AANS/CNS guidelines and voted on whether each recommendation should be endorsed or updated. A systematic review of the literature, following PRISMA standards and registered in PROSPERO, was conducted to inform the guideline development process and address the following key questions: (i) what are the effects of goal-directed interventions to optimize spinal cord perfusion on extent of neurological recovery and rates of adverse events at any time point of follow-up? and (ii) what are the effects of particular monitoring techniques, perfusion ranges, pharmacological agents, and durations of treatment on extent of neurological recovery and rates of adverse events at any time point of follow-up? The GDG combined the information from this systematic review with their clinical expertise in order to develop recommendations on a MAP target range (specifically an upper and lower limit to target), the optimal duration for MAP augmentation, and the use of vasopressors or inotropes. Using methods outlined by the GRADE working group, recommendations were formulated that considered the balance of benefits and harms, financial impact, acceptability, feasibility and patient preferences. RESULTS The GDG suggested that MAP should be augmented to at least 75-80 mmHg as the "lower limit," but not actively augmented beyond an "upper limit" of 90-95 mmHg in order to optimize spinal cord perfusion in acute traumatic SCI. The quality of the evidence around the "target MAP" was very low, and thus the strength of this recommendation is weak. For duration of hemodynamic management, the GDG "suggested" that MAP be augmented for a duration of 3-7 days. Again, the quality of the evidence around the duration of MAP support was very low, and thus the strength of this recommendation is also weak. The GDG felt that a recommendation on the choice of vasopressor or the use of SCPP targets was not warranted, given the dearth of available evidence. CONCLUSION We provide new recommendations for blood pressure management after acute SCI that acknowledge the limitations of the current evidence on the relationship between MAP and neurologic recovery. It was felt that the low quality of existing evidence and uncertainty around the relationship between MAP and neurologic recovery justified a greater range of MAP to target, and for a broader range of days post-injury than recommended in previous guidelines. While important knowledge gaps still remain regarding hemodynamic management, these recommendations represent current perspectives on the role of MAP augmentation for acute SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Paul M Arnold
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Rex A W Marco
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Virginia F J Newcombe
- University Division of Anaesthesia and PACE, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carl M Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Radha Korupolu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chris J Neal
- Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rajiv Saigal
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nina E Glass
- Department of Surgery, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School, University Hospital, Newark, NJ
| | - Sam Douglas
- Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mario Ganau
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - James S Harrop
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jefferson R Wilson
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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13
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Evaniew N, Davies B, Farahbakhsh F, Fehlings MG, Ganau M, Graves D, Guest JD, Korupolu R, Martin AR, McKenna SL, Tetreault LA, Vedantam A, Brodt ED, Skelly AC, Kwon BK. Interventions to Optimize Spinal Cord Perfusion in Patients With Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: An Updated Systematic Review. Global Spine J 2024; 14:58S-79S. [PMID: 38526931 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231218737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Systematic review update. OBJECTIVES Interventions that aim to optimize spinal cord perfusion are thought to play an important role in minimizing secondary ischemic damage and improving outcomes in patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs). However, exactly how to optimize spinal cord perfusion and enhance neurologic recovery remains controversial. We performed an update of a recent systematic review (Evaniew et al, J. Neurotrauma 2020) to evaluate the effects of Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) support or Spinal Cord Perfusion Pressure (SCPP) support on neurological recovery and rates of adverse events among patients with acute traumatic SCI. METHODS We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and ClinicalTrials.gov for new published reports. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data, and evaluated risk of bias. We implemented the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate confidence in the quality of the evidence. RESULTS From 569 potentially relevant new citations since 2019, we identified 9 new studies for inclusion, which were combined with 19 studies from a prior review to give a total of 28 studies. According to low or very low quality evidence, the effect of MAP support on neurological recovery is uncertain, and increased SCPP may be associated with improved neurological recovery. Both approaches may involve risks for specific adverse events, but the importance of these adverse events to patients remains unclear. Very low quality evidence failed to yield reliable guidance about particular monitoring techniques, perfusion ranges, pharmacological agents, or durations of treatment. CONCLUSIONS This update provides an evidence base to support the development of a new clinical practice guideline for the hemodynamic management of patients with acute traumatic SCI. While avoidance of hypotension and maintenance of spinal cord perfusion are important principles in the management of an acute SCI, the literature does not provide high quality evidence in support of a particular protocol. Further prospective, controlled research studies with objective validated outcome assessments are required to examine interventions to optimize spinal cord perfusion in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Farzin Farahbakhsh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mario Ganau
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel Graves
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - James D Guest
- Department of Neurosurgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Radha Korupolu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Aditya Vedantam
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | | | | | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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14
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Tetreault LA, Skelly AC, Alvi MA, Kwon BK, Evaniew N, Fehlings MG. An Overview of the Methodology Used to Develop Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Acute and Intraoperative Spinal Cord Injury. Global Spine J 2024; 14:25S-37S. [PMID: 38526928 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231215266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN An overview of the methods used to develop clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). OBJECTIVES Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) and intraoperative SCI (ISCI) can have devastating physical and psychological consequences for patients and their families. To date, there are several studies that have discussed the diagnostic and management strategies for both SCI and ISCI. CPGs in SCI help to distill and translate the current evidence into actionable recommendations, standardize care across centers, optimize patient outcomes, and reduce costs and unnecessary interventions. Furthermore, they can be used by patients to assist in making decisions about certain treatments and by policy makers to inform allocation of resources. The objective of this article is to summarize the methods used to develop CPGs for the timing of surgery and hemodynamic management of acute SCI, as well as the identification and treatment of ISCI. METHODS The CPGs were developed using standards established by the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine), the Guideline International Network and several other organizations. Systematic reviews were conducted according to accepted methodological standards (eg, Institute of Medicine, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) in order to summarize the current body of evidence and inform the guideline development process. Protocols for each guideline were created. A multidisciplinary guideline development group (GDG) was formed that included individuals living with SCI as well as clinicians from the broad range of specialties that encounter patients with SCI: spine or trauma surgeons, critical care physicians, rehabilitation specialists, neurologists, anesthesiologists and other healthcare professionals. Individuals living with SCI were also included in the GDG. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to rate the certainty of the evidence for each critical outcome. The "evidence to recommendation" framework was then used to translate the evidence obtained from the systematic review to an actionable recommendation. This framework provides structure when assessing the body of evidence and considers several additional factors when rating the strength of the recommendation, including the magnitude of benefits and harms, patient preferences, resource use, health equities, acceptability and feasibility. Finally, the CPGs were appraised both internally and externally. RESULTS The results of the CPGs for SCI are provided in separate articles in this focus issue. CONCLUSIONS Development of these CPGs for SCI followed the methodology proposed by the Institute of Medicine the Guideline International Network and the GRADE Working Group. It is anticipated that these CPGs will assist clinicians implement the best evidence into practice and facilitate shared-decision making with patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brian K Kwon
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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15
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Tetreault LA, Kwon BK, Evaniew N, Alvi MA, Skelly AC, Fehlings MG. A Clinical Practice Guideline on the Timing of Surgical Decompression and Hemodynamic Management of Acute Spinal Cord Injury and the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Intraoperative Spinal Cord Injury: Introduction, Rationale, and Scope. Global Spine J 2024; 14:10S-24S. [PMID: 38632715 PMCID: PMC10964894 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231183969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Protocol for the development of clinical practice guidelines following the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) standards. OBJECTIVES Acute SCI or intraoperative SCI (ISCI) can have devastating physical and psychological consequences for patients and their families. The treatment of SCI has dramatically evolved over the last century as a result of preclinical and clinical research that has addressed important knowledge gaps, including injury mechanisms, disease pathophysiology, medical management, and the role of surgery. In an acute setting, clinicians are faced with critical decisions on how to optimize neurological recovery in patients with SCI that include the role and timing of surgical decompression and the best strategies for hemodynamic management. The lack of consensus surrounding these treatments has prevented standardization of care across centers and has created uncertainty with respect to how to best manage patients with SCI. ISCI is a feared complication that can occur in the best of hands. Unfortunately, there are no systematic reviews or clinical practice guidelines to assist spine surgeons in the assessment and management of ISCI in adult patients undergoing spinal surgery. Given these limitations, it is the objective of this initiative to develop evidence-based recommendations that will inform the management of both SCI and ISCI. This protocol describes the rationale for developing clinical practice guidelines on (i) the timing of surgical decompression in acute SCI; (ii) the hemodynamic management of acute SCI; and (iii) the prevention, identification, and management of ISCI in patients undergoing surgery for spine-related pathology. METHODS Systematic reviews were conducted according to PRISMA standards in order to summarize the current body of evidence and inform the guideline development process. The guideline development process followed the approach proposed by the GRADE working group. Separate multidisciplinary, international groups were created to perform the systematic reviews and formulate the guidelines. All potential conflicts of interest were vetted in advance. The sponsors exerted no influence over the editorial process or the development of the guidelines. RESULTS This process resulted in both systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines/care pathways related to the role and timing of surgery in acute SCI; the optimal hemodynamic management of acute SCI; and the prevention, diagnosis and management of ISCI. CONCLUSIONS The ultimate goal of this clinical practice guideline initiative was to develop evidence-based recommendations for important areas of controversy in SCI and ISCI in hopes of improving neurological outcomes, reducing morbidity, and standardizing care across settings. Throughout this process, critical knowledge gaps and future directions were also defined.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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16
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Hejrati N, Moghaddamjou A, Pedro K, Alvi MA, Harrop JS, Guest JD, Kwon BK, Fehlings MG. Current Practice of Acute Spinal Cord Injury Management: A Global Survey of Members from the AO Spine. Global Spine J 2024; 14:546-560. [PMID: 36036628 PMCID: PMC10802552 DOI: 10.1177/21925682221116888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional, international survey. OBJECTIVES To examine current international practices as well as knowledge, adoption, and barriers to guideline implementation for acute spinal cord injury (SCI) management. METHODS A survey was distributed to members of AO Spine. The questionnaire was structured to obtain demographic data and preferred acute SCI practices surrounding steroid use, hemodynamic management, and timing of surgical decompression. RESULTS 593 members completed the survey including orthopaedic surgeons (54.3%), neurosurgeons (35.6%), and traumatologists (8.4%). Most (61.2%) respondents were from low and middle-income countries (LMICs). 53.6% of physicians used steroids for the treatment of acute SCIs. Respondents from LMICs were more likely to administer steroids than HICs (178 vs. 78; P < .001). 331 respondents (81.5%) answered that patients would receive mean arterial pressure (MAP) targeted treatment. In LMICs, SCI patients were less likely to be provided with MAP-targeted treatment (76.9%) as compared to HICs (89%; P < .05). The majority of respondents (87.8%) reported that patients would benefit from early decompression. Despite overwhelming evidence and surgeons' responses that would offer early surgery, 62.4% of respondents stated they encounter logistical barriers in their institutions. This was particularly evident in LMICs, where 57.9% of respondents indicated that early intervention was unlikely to be accomplished, while only 21.1% of respondents from HICs stated the same (P < .001). CONCLUSION This survey highlights challenges in the implementation of standardized global practices in the management of acute SCI. Future research efforts will need to refine SCI guidelines and address barriers to guideline implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ali Moghaddamjou
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karlo Pedro
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James S. Harrop
- Department of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgery, Division of Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery, Delaware Valley SCI Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - James D. Guest
- Neurological Surgery and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Brian K. Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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17
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Fehlings MG, Tetreault LA, Hachem L, Evaniew N, Ganau M, McKenna SL, Neal CJ, Nagoshi N, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Aarabi B, Hofstetter CP, Wengel VT, Nakashima H, Martin AR, Kirshblum S, Rodrigues Pinto R, Marco RAW, Wilson JR, Kahn DE, Newcombe VFJ, Zipser CM, Douglas S, Kurpad SN, Lu Y, Saigal R, Samadani U, Arnold PM, Hawryluk GWJ, Skelly AC, Kwon BK. An Update of a Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Patients With Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Recommendations on the Role and Timing of Decompressive Surgery. Global Spine J 2024; 14:174S-186S. [PMID: 38526922 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231181883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Clinical practice guideline development. OBJECTIVES Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in devastating motor, sensory, and autonomic impairment; loss of independence; and reduced quality of life. Preclinical evidence suggests that early decompression of the spinal cord may help to limit secondary injury, reduce damage to the neural tissue, and improve functional outcomes. Emerging evidence indicates that "early" surgical decompression completed within 24 hours of injury also improves neurological recovery in patients with acute SCI. The objective of this clinical practice guideline (CPG) is to update the 2017 recommendations on the timing of surgical decompression and to evaluate the evidence with respect to ultra-early surgery (in particular, but not limited to, <12 hours after acute SCI). METHODS A multidisciplinary, international, guideline development group (GDG) was formed that consisted of spine surgeons, neurologists, critical care specialists, emergency medicine doctors, physical medicine and rehabilitation professionals, as well as individuals living with SCI. A systematic review was conducted based on accepted methodological standards to evaluate the impact of early (within 24 hours of acute SCI) or ultra-early (in particular, but not limited to, within 12 hours of acute SCI) surgery on neurological recovery, functional outcomes, administrative outcomes, safety, and cost-effectiveness. The GRADE approach was used to rate the overall strength of evidence across studies for each primary outcome. Using the "evidence-to-recommendation" framework, recommendations were then developed that considered the balance of benefits and harms, financial impact, patient values, acceptability, and feasibility. The guideline was internally appraised using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool. RESULTS The GDG recommended that early surgery (≤24 hours after injury) be offered as the preferred option for adult patients with acute SCI regardless of level. This recommendation was based on moderate evidence suggesting that patients were 2 times more likely to recover by ≥ 2 ASIA Impairment Score (AIS) grades at 6 months (RR: 2.76, 95% CI 1.60 to 4.98) and 12 months (RR: 1.95, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.18) if they were decompressed within 24 hours compared to after 24 hours. Furthermore, patients undergoing early surgery improved by an additional 4.50 (95% 1.70 to 7.29) points on the ASIA Motor Score compared to patients undergoing surgery after 24 hours post-injury. The GDG also agreed that a recommendation for ultra-early surgery could not be made on the basis of the current evidence because of the small sample sizes, variable definitions of what constituted ultra-early in the literature, and the inconsistency of the evidence. CONCLUSIONS It is recommended that patients with an acute SCI, regardless of level, undergo surgery within 24 hours after injury when medically feasible. Future research is required to determine the differential effectiveness of early surgery in different subpopulations and the impact of ultra-early surgery on neurological recovery. Moreover, further work is required to define what constitutes effective spinal cord decompression and to individualize care. It is also recognized that a concerted international effort will be required to translate these recommendations into policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Fehlings
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Laureen Hachem
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nathan Evaniew
- Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mario Ganau
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Chris J Neal
- Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Narihito Nagoshi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Valerie Ter Wengel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Amsterdam UMC VUMC Site, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hiroaki Nakashima
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Steven Kirshblum
- Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Ricardo Rodrigues Pinto
- Spinal Unit (UVM), Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Hospital CUF Trindade, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rex A W Marco
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jefferson R Wilson
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David E Kahn
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Virginia F J Newcombe
- Department of Medicine, University Division of Anaesthesia and PACE, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carl M Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sam Douglas
- Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Shekar N Kurpad
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rajiv Saigal
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Uzma Samadani
- Department of Surgery, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Paul M Arnold
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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18
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Fehlings MG, Moghaddamjou A, Evaniew N, Tetreault LA, Alvi MA, Skelly AC, Kwon BK. The 2023 AO Spine-Praxis Guidelines in Acute Spinal Cord Injury: What Have We Learned? What Are the Critical Knowledge Gaps and Barriers to Implementation? Global Spine J 2024; 14:223S-230S. [PMID: 38526926 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231196825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Narrative summary of the 2023 AO Spine-Praxis clinical practice guidelines for management in acute spinal cord injury (SCI). OBJECTIVES The objective of this article is to summarize the key findings of the clinical practice guidelines for the optimal management of traumatic and intraoperative SCI (ISCI). This article will also highlight potential knowledge translation opportunities for each recommendation and discuss important knowledge gaps and areas of future research. METHODS Systematic reviews were conducted according to accepted methodological standards to evaluate the current body of evidence and inform the guideline development process. The summarized evidence was reviewed by a multidisciplinary guidelines development group that consisted of international multidisciplinary stakeholders. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to rate the certainty of the evidence for each critical outcome and the "evidence to recommendation" framework was used to formulate the final recommendations. RESULTS The key recommendations regarding the timing of surgical decompression, hemodynamic management, and the prevention, diagnosis, and management of ISCI are summarized. While a strong recommendation was made for early surgery, further prospective research is required to define what constitutes sufficient surgical decompression, examine the role of ultra-early surgery, and assess the impact of early surgery in different SCI phenotypes, including central cord syndrome. Furthermore, additional investigation is required to evaluate the impact of mean arterial blood pressure targets on neurological recovery and to determine the utility of spinal cord perfusion pressure measurements. Finally, there is a need to examine the role of neuroprotective agents for the treatment of ISCI and to prospectively validate the new AO Spine-Praxis care pathway for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of ISCI. To optimize the translation of these guidelines into practice, important barriers to their implementation, particularly in underserved areas, need to be explored. Ultimately, these recommendations will help to establish more personalized approaches to care for SCI patients. CONCLUSIONS The recommendations from the 2023 AO Spine-Praxis guidelines not only highlight the current best practice in the management of SCI, but reveal critical knowledge gaps and barriers to implementation that will help to guide further research efforts in SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ali Moghaddamjou
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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19
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Fehlings MG, Hachem LD, Tetreault LA, Skelly AC, Dettori JR, Brodt ED, Stabler-Morris S, Redick BJ, Evaniew N, Martin AR, Davies B, Farahbakhsh F, Guest JD, Graves D, Korupolu R, McKenna SL, Kwon BK. Timing of Decompressive Surgery in Patients With Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Systematic Review Update. Global Spine J 2024; 14:38S-57S. [PMID: 38526929 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231197404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE Surgical decompression is a cornerstone in the management of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI); however, the influence of the timing of surgery on neurological recovery after acute SCI remains controversial. This systematic review aims to summarize current evidence on the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of early (≤24 hours) or late (>24 hours) surgery in patients with acute traumatic SCI for all levels of the spine. Furthermore, this systematic review aims to evaluate the evidence with respect to the impact of ultra-early surgery (earlier than 24 hours from injury) on these outcomes. METHODS A systematic search of the literature was performed using the MEDLINE database (PubMed), Cochrane database, and EMBASE. Two reviewers independently screened the citations from the search to determine whether an article satisfied predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. For all key questions, we focused on primary studies with the least potential for bias and those that controlled for baseline neurological status and specified time from injury to surgery. Risk of bias of each article was assessed using standardized tools based on study design. Finally, the overall strength of evidence for the primary outcomes was assessed using the GRADE approach. Data were synthesized both qualitatively and quantitively using meta-analyses. RESULTS Twenty-one studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria and formed the evidence base for this review update. Seventeen studies compared outcomes between patients treated with early (≤24 hours from injury) compared to late (>24 hours) surgical decompression. An additional 4 studies evaluated even earlier time frames: <4, <5, <8 or <12 hours. Based on moderate evidence, patients were 2 times more likely to recover by ≥ 2 grades on the ASIA Impairment Score (AIS) at 6 months (RR: 2.76, 95% CI 1.60 to 4.98) and 12 months (RR: 1.95, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.18) if they were decompressed within 24 hours compared to after 24 hours. Furthermore, moderate evidence suggested that patients receiving early decompression had an additional 4.50 (95% CI 1.70 to 7.29) point improvement on the ASIA motor score. With respect to administrative outcomes, there was low evidence that early decompression may decrease acute hospital length of stay. In terms of safety, there was moderate evidence that suggested the rate of major complications does not differ between patients undergoing early compared to late surgery. Furthermore, there was no difference in rates of mortality, surgical device-related complications, sepsis/systemic infection or neurological deterioration based on timing of surgery. Firm conclusions were not possible with respect to the impact of ultra-early surgery on neurological, functional or safety outcomes given the poor-quality studies, imprecision and the overlap in the time frames examined. CONCLUSIONS This review provides an evidence base to support the update on clinical practice guidelines related to the timing of surgical decompression in acute SCI. Overall, the strength of evidence was moderate that early surgery (≤24 hours from injury) compared to late (>24 hours) results in clinically meaningful improvements in neurological recovery. Further studies are required to delineate the role of ultra-early surgery in patients with acute SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laureen D Hachem
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Farzin Farahbakhsh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - James D Guest
- Department of Neurosurgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Daniel Graves
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Radha Korupolu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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20
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Srikandarajah N, Hejrati N, Alvi MA, Quddusi A, Tetreault LA, Evaniew N, Skelly AC, Douglas S, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Arnold PM, Kirshblum S, Kwon BK, Fehlings MG. Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Intraoperative Spinal Cord Injury in the Setting of Spine Surgery: A Proposed Care Pathway. Global Spine J 2024; 14:166S-173S. [PMID: 38526925 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231217980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN This study is a mixed methods approach. OBJECTIVES 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. METHODS 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. RESULTS 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. CONCLUSIONS 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisaharan Srikandarajah
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ayesha Quddusi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Sam Douglas
- Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Paul M Arnold
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Steven Kirshblum
- Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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21
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Davies BM, Khan DZ, Barzangi K, Ali A, Mowforth OD, Nouri A, Harrop JS, Aarabi B, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Kurpad SN, Guest JD, Tetreault L, Kwon BK, Boerger TF, Rodrigues-Pinto R, Furlan JC, Chen R, Zipser CM, Curt A, Milligan J, Kalsi-Rayn S, Sarewitz E, Sadler I, Widdop S, Fehlings MG, Kotter MR. We Choose to Call it 'Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy': Findings of AO Spine RECODE-DCM, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease. Global Spine J 2024; 14:503-512. [PMID: 35769029 PMCID: PMC10802519 DOI: 10.1177/21925682221111780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Modified DELPHI Consensus Process. OBJECTIVE To agree a single unifying term and definition. Globally, cervical myelopathy caused by degenerative changes to the spine is known by over 11 different names. This inconsistency contributes to many clinical and research challenges, including a lack of awareness. METHOD AO Spine RECODE-DCM (Research objectives and Common Data Elements Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy). To determine the index term, a longlist of candidate terms and their rationale, was created using a literature review and interviews. This was shared with the community, to select their preferred terms (248 members (58%) including 149 (60%) surgeons, 45 (18%) other healthcare professionals and 54 (22%) People with DCM or their supporters) and finalized using a consensus meeting. To determine a definition, a medical definition framework was created using inductive thematic analysis of selected International Classification of Disease definitions. Separately, stakeholders submitted their suggested definition which also underwent inductive thematic analysis (317 members (76%), 190 (59%) surgeons, 62 (20%) other healthcare professionals and 72 (23%) persons living with DCM or their supporters). Using this definition framework, a working definition was created based on submitted content, and finalized using consensus meetings. RESULTS Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy was selected as the unifying term, defined in short, as a progressive spinal cord injury caused by narrowing of the cervical spinal canal. CONCLUSION A consistent term and definition can support education and research initiatives. This was selected using a structured and iterative methodology, which may serve as an exemplar for others in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Davies
- Academic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK
- Myelopathy.org, UK
| | - Danyal Z Khan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Walton Centre, UK
- Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, UK
| | - Kara Barzangi
- Academic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Ahmad Ali
- Department of Neurosurgery, Walton Centre, UK
| | - Oliver D. Mowforth
- Academic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK
- Myelopathy.org, UK
| | - Aria Nouri
- Department of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - James S. Harrop
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - Shekar N Kurpad
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA
| | - James D. Guest
- Department of Neurosurgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Lindsay Tetreault
- Department of Neurology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian K. Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Timothy F Boerger
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA
| | - Ricardo Rodrigues-Pinto
- Spinal Unit (UVM), Department of Orthopaedics, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto - Hospital de Santo António, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
| | - Julio C. Furlan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Chen
- Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Armin Curt
- University Spine Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark R.N. Kotter
- Academic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK
- Myelopathy.org, UK
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Malhotra AK, He Y, Harrington EM, Jaja BNR, Zhu MP, Shakil H, Dea N, Weber MH, Attabib N, Phan P, Rampersaud YR, Paquet J, Jacobs WB, Cadotte DW, Christie SD, Nataraj A, Bailey CS, Johnson M, Fisher C, Hall H, Manson N, Thomas K, Ginsberg HJ, Fehlings MG, Witiw CD, Davis AM, Wilson JR. Development of the cervical myelopathy severity index: a new patient reported outcome measure to quantify impairments and functional limitations. Spine J 2024; 24:424-434. [PMID: 37918571 DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2023.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CONTEXT Existing degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) severity scales have significant shortcomings, creating a strong impetus for the development of a practical measurement tool with sound psychometric properties. PURPOSE This work reports the item generation and reduction of the Cervical Myelopathy Severity Index (CMSI), a new DCM patient-reported outcome measure of symptoms and functional limitations. DESIGN Prospective observational study. PATIENT SAMPLE Adult DCM patients belonging to one of three distinct treatment groups: (1) observation cohort, (2) preoperative surgical cohort, (3) 6 to 12 months postoperative cohort. OUTCOME MEASURES Patient-reported outcome measure of symptoms and functional limitations. METHODS Item generation was performed using semi-structured patient focus groups emphasizing symptoms experienced and functional limitations. Readability was assessed through think-aloud patient interviews. Item reduction involved surveys of DCM patients with a spectrum of disease severity and board-certified spine surgeons experienced in the treatment of DCM. A priori criteria for item removal included: patient median importance/severity <2 (of 4), 30% or more no severity (response of zero), item severity correlations ≤ 0.80 (Spearman), item severity reliability (weighted kappa <0.60) based on a 2-week interval and clinician median importance <2 with retention of items with very high clinical importance. RESULTS There were 42 items generated from a combination of specialist input and patient focus groups. Items captured sensorimotor symptoms and limitations related to upper and lower extremities as well as sphincter dysfunction. Ninety-eight patients (43, 30, 25 observation, pre- and postsurgery respectively) and 51 surgeons completed the assessment. Twenty-three items remained after application of median importance and severity thresholds and weighted kappa cutoffs. After elimination of highly correlated (>0.80) items and combining two similar items, the final CMSI questionnaire list included 14 items. CONCLUSIONS The CMSI is a new DCM patient-reported clinical measurement tool developed using patient and clinician input to inform item generation and reduction. Future work will evaluate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the CMSI in relation to existing myelopathy measurement indices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armaan K Malhotra
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5T3M6, Canada
| | - Yingshi He
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada
| | - Erin M Harrington
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada
| | - Blessing N R Jaja
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada
| | - Mary P Zhu
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada
| | - Husain Shakil
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5T3M6, Canada
| | - Nicolas Dea
- Combined Neurosurgical and Orthopaedic Spine Program, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel St, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z1M9, Canada
| | - Michael H Weber
- Division of Orthopedic Surgery, McGill University, 1650 Cedar Ave, Montreal, Quebec, H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Najmedden Attabib
- Canada East Spine Centre, Saint John, 400 University Ave, New Brunswick, E2L4L4, Canada
| | - Philippe Phan
- The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y4E9, Canada
| | - Yoga Raja Rampersaud
- Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St, Toronto, Ontario M5T2S8, Canada
| | - Jerome Paquet
- Department of Surgery, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de la Médecine, Quebec City, G1V0A6, Canada
| | - W Bradley Jacobs
- Division of Spine Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, 1403 29 St NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N2T9, Canada
| | - David W Cadotte
- Division of Spine Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, 1403 29 St NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N2T9, Canada
| | - Sean D Christie
- Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, 1276 South Park St, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H2Y9, Canada
| | - Andrew Nataraj
- Division of Neurosurgery, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 112 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6G2B7, Canada
| | - Christopher S Bailey
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, London Health Science Centre, Western University, 339 Windermere Rd, London, Ontario N6A5A5, Canada
| | - Michael Johnson
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Manitoba, 820 Sherbrook St, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3A1R9, Canada
| | - Charles Fisher
- Combined Neurosurgical and Orthopaedic Spine Program, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel St, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z1M9, Canada
| | - Hamilton Hall
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St, Ontario M5T1P5, Canada
| | - Neil Manson
- Canada East Spine Centre, Saint John, 400 University Ave, New Brunswick, E2L4L4, Canada
| | - Kenneth Thomas
- Division of Spine Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, 1403 29 St NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N2T9, Canada
| | - Howard J Ginsberg
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1T8, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St, Toronto, Ontario M5T2S8, Canada
| | - Christopher D Witiw
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5T3M6, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1T8, Canada
| | - Aileen M Davis
- Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5T3M6, Canada
| | - Jefferson R Wilson
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5T3M6, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria St, Toronto, Ontario M5B1T8, Canada.
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Fehlings MG, Alvi MA, Evaniew N, Tetreault LA, Martin AR, McKenna SL, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Ha Y, Kirshblum S, Hejrati N, Srikandarajah N, Quddusi A, Moghaddamjou A, Malvea A, Pinto RR, Marco RAW, Newcombe VFJ, Basu S, Strantzas S, Zipser CM, Douglas S, Laufer I, Chou D, Saigal R, Arnold PM, Hawryluk GWJ, Skelly AC, Kwon BK. A Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Intraoperative Spinal Cord Injury: Recommendations for Use of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring and for the Use of Preoperative and Intraoperative Protocols for Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery. Global Spine J 2024; 14:212S-222S. [PMID: 38526921 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231202343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Development of a clinical practice guideline following the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) process. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to develop guidelines that outline the utility of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) to detect intraoperative spinal cord injury (ISCI) among patients undergoing spine surgery, to define a subset of patients undergoing spine surgery at higher risk for ISCI and to develop protocols to prevent, diagnose, and manage ISCI. METHODS All systematic reviews were performed according to PRISMA standards and registered on PROSPERO. A multidisciplinary, international Guidelines Development Group (GDG) reviewed and discussed the evidence using GRADE protocols. Consensus was defined by 80% agreement among GDG members. A systematic review and diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) meta-analysis was performed to synthesize pooled evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of IONM to detect ISCI among patients undergoing spinal surgery. The IONM modalities evaluated included somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), motor evoked potentials (MEPs), electromyography (EMG), and multimodal neuromonitoring. Utilizing this knowledge and their clinical experience, the multidisciplinary GDG created recommendations for the use of IONM to identify ISCI in patients undergoing spine surgery. The evidence related to existing care pathways to manage ISCI was summarized and based on this a novel AO Spine-PRAXIS care pathway was created. RESULTS Our recommendations are as follows: (1) We recommend that intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring be employed for high risk patients undergoing spine surgery, and (2) We suggest that patients at "high risk" for ISCI during spine surgery be proactively identified, that after identification of such patients, multi-disciplinary team discussions be undertaken to manage patients, and that an intraoperative protocol including the use of IONM be implemented. A care pathway for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of ISCI has been developed by the GDG. CONCLUSION We anticipate that these guidelines will promote the use of IONM to detect and manage ISCI, and promote the use of preoperative and intraoperative checklists by surgeons and other team members for high risk patients undergoing spine surgery. We welcome teams to implement and evaluate the care pathway created by our GDG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nathan Evaniew
- Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yoon Ha
- Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Steven Kirshblum
- Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nisaharan Srikandarajah
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ayesha Quddusi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ali Moghaddamjou
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anahita Malvea
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ricardo Rodrigues Pinto
- Spinal Unit (UVM), Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Hospital CUF Trindade, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rex A W Marco
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Virginia F J Newcombe
- Department of Medicine, University Division of Anaesthesia and PACE, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Samuel Strantzas
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carl M Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sam Douglas
- Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ilya Laufer
- Department of Neurosurgery, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dean Chou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rajiv Saigal
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul M Arnold
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gregory W J Hawryluk
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic Akron GeneralHospital, Akron, OH, USA
| | | | - Brian K Kwon
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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24
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Alvi MA, Kwon BK, Hejrati N, Tetreault LA, Evaniew N, Skelly AC, Fehlings MG. Accuracy of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring in the Diagnosis of Intraoperative Neurological Decline in the Setting of Spinal Surgery-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Global Spine J 2024; 14:105S-149S. [PMID: 38632716 PMCID: PMC10964897 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231196514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVES In an effort to prevent intraoperative neurological injury during spine surgery, the use of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) has increased significantly in recent years. Using IONM, spinal cord function can be evaluated intraoperatively by recording signals from specific nerve roots, motor tracts, and sensory tracts. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) studies to evaluate the efficacy of IONM among patients undergoing spine surgery for any indication. METHODS The current systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis statement for Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies (PRISMA-DTA) and was registered on PROSPERO. A comprehensive search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and SCOPUS for all studies assessing the diagnostic accuracy of neuromonitoring, including somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP), motor evoked potential (MEP) and electromyography (EMG), either on their own or in combination (multimodal). Studies were included if they reported raw numbers for True Positives (TP), False Negatives (FN), False Positives (FP) and True Negative (TN) either in a 2 × 2 contingency table or in text, and if they used postoperative neurologic exam as a reference standard. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated to evaluate the overall efficacy of each modality type using a bivariate model adapted by Reitsma et al, for all spine surgeries and for individual disease groups and regions of spine. The risk of bias (ROB) of included studies was assessed using the quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy studies (QUADAS-2). RESULTS A total of 163 studies were included; 52 of these studies with 16,310 patients reported data for SSEP, 68 studies with 71,144 patients reported data for MEP, 16 studies with 7888 patients reported data for EMG and 69 studies with 17,968 patients reported data for multimodal monitoring. The overall sensitivity, specificity, DOR and AUC for SSEP were 71.4% (95% CI 54.8-83.7), 97.1% (95% CI 95.3-98.3), 41.9 (95% CI 24.1-73.1) and .899, respectively; for MEP, these were 90.2% (95% CI 86.2-93.1), 96% (95% CI 94.3-97.2), 103.25 (95% CI 69.98-152.34) and .927; for EMG, these were 48.3% (95% CI 31.4-65.6), 92.9% (95% CI 84.4-96.9), 11.2 (95% CI 4.84-25.97) and .773; for multimodal, these were found to be 83.5% (95% CI 81-85.7), 93.8% (95% CI 90.6-95.9), 60 (95% CI 35.6-101.3) and .895, respectively. Using the QUADAS-2 ROB analysis, of the 52 studies reporting on SSEP, 13 (25%) were high-risk, 10 (19.2%) had some concerns and 29 (55.8%) were low-risk; for MEP, 8 (11.7%) were high-risk, 21 had some concerns and 39 (57.3%) were low-risk; for EMG, 4 (25%) were high-risk, 3 (18.75%) had some concerns and 9 (56.25%) were low-risk; for multimodal, 14 (20.3%) were high-risk, 13 (18.8%) had some concerns and 42 (60.7%) were low-risk. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that all neuromonitoring modalities have diagnostic utility in successfully detecting impending or incident intraoperative neurologic injuries among patients undergoing spine surgery for any condition, although it is clear that the accuracy of each modality differs.PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42023384158.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brian K Kwon
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Nathan Evaniew
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Fehlings MG, Chhabra HS. Recent trends in spinal trauma management and research. J Clin Orthop Trauma 2024; 49:102351. [PMID: 38333744 PMCID: PMC10847013 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcot.2024.102351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael G. Fehlings
- Robert Campeau Family Foundation-Dr. CH Tator Chair in Brain and Spinal Cord Research, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
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Waltenberger M, Vogel MME, Bernhardt D, Münch S, Dobiasch S, Redmond KJ, Lo SS, Acker G, Fehlings MG, Ringel F, Vajkoczy P, Meyer B, Combs SE. Radiotherapy concepts for spinal metastases-results from an online survey among radiation oncologists of the German Society for Radiation Oncology. Strahlenther Onkol 2024; 200:159-174. [PMID: 37272996 PMCID: PMC10805849 DOI: 10.1007/s00066-023-02082-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Spinal metastases (SM) are a common radiotherapy (RT) indication. There is limited level I data to drive decision making regarding dose regimen (DR) and target volume definition (TVD). We aim to depict the patterns of care for RT of SM among German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) members. METHODS An online survey on conventional RT and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for SM, distributed via e‑mail to all DEGRO members, was completed by 80 radiation oncologists between February 24 and April 29, 2022. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. RESULTS A variety of DR was frequently used for conventional RT (primary: n = 15, adjuvant: n = 14). 30 Gy/10 fractions was reported most frequently. TVD in adjuvant RT was heterogenous, with a trend towards larger volumes. SBRT was offered in 65% (primary) and 21% (adjuvant) of participants' institutions. A variety of DR was reported (primary: n = 40, adjuvant: n = 27), most commonly 27 Gy/3 fractions and 30 Gy/5 fractions. 59% followed International Consensus Guidelines (ICG) for TVD. CONCLUSION We provide a representative depiction of RT practice for SM among DEGRO members. DR and TVD are heterogeneous. SBRT is not comprehensively practiced, especially in the adjuvant setting. Further research is needed to provide a solid data basis for detailed recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Waltenberger
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Marco M E Vogel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Denise Bernhardt
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Münch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Sophie Dobiasch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Radiation Medicine (IRM), Helmholtz Zentrum, Munich, Germany
| | - Kristin J Redmond
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Simon S Lo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA
| | - Güliz Acker
- Department of Neurosurgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health), Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Florian Ringel
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Peter Vajkoczy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health), Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Meyer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Stephanie E Combs
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Radiation Medicine (IRM), Helmholtz Zentrum, Munich, Germany
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Pedro KM, Alvi MA, Hejrati N, Moghaddamjou A, Fehlings MG. Elderly Patients Show Substantial Improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life After Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Despite Medical Frailty: An Ambispective Analysis of a Multicenter, International Data Set. Neurosurgery 2024:00006123-990000000-01016. [PMID: 38197642 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We assessed the relationship between Modified Frailty Index-5 (mFI-5) and neurological outcomes, as well as health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures, in elderly patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) after surgery. METHODS Data from 3 major DCM trials (the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen Spine Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy-North America, Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy-International, and CSM-PROTECT studies) were combined, involving 1047 subjects with moderate to severe myelopathy. Patients older than 60 years with 6-month and 1-year postoperative data were analyzed. Neurological outcome was assessed using the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, while HRQoL was measured using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) (both Physical Component Summary [SF-36 PCS] and Mental Component Summary [SF-36 MCS] scores) and the Neck Disability Index. Frail (mFI ≥2) and nonfrail (mFI = 0-1) cohorts were compared using univariate paired statistics. RESULTS The final analysis included 261 patients (62.5% male), with a mean age of 71 years (95% CI 70.7-72). Frail patients (mFI ≥2) had lower baseline modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores (10.45 vs 11.96, P < .001), SF-36 PCS scores (32.01 vs 36.51, P < .001), and SF-36 MCS scores (39.32 vs 45.24, P < .001). At 6-month follow-up, SF-36 MCS improved by a mean (SD) of 7.19 (12.89) points in frail vs 2.91 (11.11) points in the nonfrail group (P = .016). At 1 year after surgery, frail patients showed greater improvement in both SF-36 PCS and SF-36 MCS composite scores compared with nonfrail patients (7.81 vs 4.49, P = .038, and 7.93 vs 3.01, P = .007, respectively). Bivariate regression analysis revealed that higher mFI-5 scores correlated with more substantial improvement in overall mental status at 6 months and 1 year (P = .024 and P = .009, respectively). CONCLUSION mFI-5 is a clinically helpful signature to reflect the HRQoL status among elderly patients with DCM. Despite preoperative medical frailty, elderly patients with DCM experience significant HRQoL improvement after surgery. These findings enable clinicians to identify elderly patients with modifiable comorbidities and provide informed counseling on anticipated outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlo M Pedro
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ali Moghaddamjou
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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28
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Bak AB, Moghaddamjou A, Harrop JS, Aarabi B, Fehlings MG. The Impact of Interhospital Transfer on the Extent of Neurological Recovery in Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Analysis of a Prospective Multicenter Data Set in 970 Cases. Neurosurgery 2024; 94:90-98. [PMID: 37607093 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Interhospital transfer from community hospitals to centers specialized in managing traumatically injured individuals can strain patients, healthcare systems, and delay appropriate care. The purpose was to compare long-term neurological outcomes in transferred or directly admitted patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS An ambispective cohort study was conducted using prospectively collected data (between 2005 and 2018) from 11 specialized level 1 trauma centers across the United States and Canada. All patients who underwent surgical management for SCI were included and placed into 2 comparison cohorts: (1) direct admission and (2) transfer from intermediate hospital. Outcomes were change in American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade and its components: upper-extremity motor, lower-extremity motor, pinprick, and light touch scores from baseline (assessed ≤72 hours after injury) to follow-up (12-52 weeks). Nearest-neighbor 1:1 propensity score matching between the transferred and directly admitted cohorts was performed. Paired analysis using McNemar's test and paired Student's t -test was used to determine the extent of the difference in neurological outcomes. RESULTS Nine hundred seventy patients (55.5% male, 55.2 ± 18.9 years) with traumatic SCI were directly admitted to a specialized trauma center (N = 474, 48.9%) or transferred from an intermediate hospital (N = 496, 51.1%). After propensity score matching, 283 pairs were matched. Compared with a matched cohort of transferred patients, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade improved more in directly admitted patients (56.2% vs 46.3%, P = .024), as did upper-extremity motor score (13.7 ± 12.8 vs 10.4 ± 11.5, P = .018) and light touch score (22.0 ± 29.7 vs 16.9 ± 26.6, P = .034). CONCLUSION Patients with SCI directly admitted to specialized trauma centers have greater neurological recovery compared with patients transferred from an intermediate hospital. Feasibility of direct admission to a center specialized in the management of acute SCI through implementation of a standardized code program must be further investigated. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic level II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex B Bak
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Ali Moghaddamjou
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - James S Harrop
- Department of Neurosurgical and Orthopedic Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , USA
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
- Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto , Ontario , Canada
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Malhotra AK, Shakil H, Harrington EM, Fehlings MG, Wilson JR, Witiw CD. Early surgery compared to nonoperative management for mild degenerative cervical myelopathy: a cost-utility analysis. Spine J 2024; 24:21-31. [PMID: 37302415 DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CONTEXT Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a form of acquired spinal cord compression and contributes to reduced quality of life secondary to neurological dysfunction and pain. There remains uncertainty regarding optimal management for individuals with mild myelopathy. Specifically, owing to lacking long-term natural history studies in this population, we do not know whether these individuals should be treated with initial surgery or observation. PURPOSE We sought to perform a cost-utility analysis to examine early surgery for mild degenerative cervical myelopathy from the healthcare payer perspective. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING We utilized data from the prospective observational cohorts included in the Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy AO Spine International and North America studies to determine health related quality of life estimates and clinical myelopathy outcomes. PATIENT SAMPLE We recruited all patients that underwent surgery for DCM enrolled in the Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy AO Spine International and North America studies between December 2005 and January 2011. OUTCOME MEASURES Clinical assessment measures were obtained using the Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association scale and health-related quality of life measures were obtained using the Short Form-6D utility score at baseline (preoperative), 6 months, 12 months and 24 months postsurgery. Cost measures inflated to January 2015 values were obtained using pooled estimates from the hospital payer perspective for surgical patients. METHODS We employed a Markov state transition model with Monte Carlo microsimulation using a lifetime horizon to obtain an incremental cost utility ratio associated with early surgery for mild myelopathy. Parameter uncertainty was assessed through deterministic means using one-way and two-way sensitivity analyses and probabilistically using parameter estimate distributions with microsimulation (10,000 trials). Costs and utilities were discounted at 3% per annum. RESULTS Initial surgery for mild degenerative cervical myelopathy was associated with an incremental lifetime increase of 1.26 quality-adjusted life years (QALY) compared to observation. The associated cost incurred to the healthcare payer over a lifetime horizon was $12,894.56, resulting in a lifetime incremental cost-utility ratio of $10,250.71/QALY. Utilizing a willingness to pay threshold in keeping with the World Health Organization definition of "very cost-effective" ($54,000 CDN), the probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that 100% of cases were cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS Surgery compared to initial observation for mild degenerative cervical myelopathy was cost-effective from the Canadian healthcare payer perspective and was associated with lifetime gains in health-related quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armaan K Malhotra
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1P5, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M6, Canada
| | - Husain Shakil
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1P5, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M6, Canada
| | - Erin M Harrington
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1P5, Canada; Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Jefferson R Wilson
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1P5, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M6, Canada
| | - Christopher D Witiw
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1P5, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M6, Canada.
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30
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Goodwin CR, Price M, Goodwin AN, Dalton T, Versteeg AL, Sahgal A, Rhines LD, Schuster JM, Weber MH, Lazary A, Boriani S, Bettegowda C, Fehlings MG, Arnold PM, Dea N, Charest-Morin R, Shin J, Laufer I, Chou D, Gokaslan ZL, Clarke MJ, Fisher CG, Sciubba DM. Gender and Sex Differences in Health-related Quality of Life, Clinical Outcomes and Survival after Treatment of Metastatic Spine Disease. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2023:00007632-990000000-00544. [PMID: 38149519 DOI: 10.1097/brs.0000000000004910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review of prospective, multicenter and international cohort study. OBJECTIVE To describe the effect of gender on HRQoL, clinical outcomes and survival for patients with spinal metastases treated with either surgery and/or radiation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Gender differences in health-related outcomes are demonstrated in numerous studies, with women experiencing worse outcomes and receiving lower standards of care than men, however, the influence that gender has on low health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and clinical outcomes after spine surgery remains unclear. METHODS Patient demographic data, overall survival, treatment details, perioperative complications, and HRQoL measures including EQ-5D, pain NRS, the short form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2) and the Spine Oncology Study Group Outcomes Questionnaire (SOSGOQ2.0) were reviewed. Patients were stratified by sex, and a separate sensitivity analysis that excluded gender-specific cancers (i.e., breast, prostate, etc.) was performed. RESULTS The study cohort included 207 female and 183 male patients, with age, smoking status, and site of primary cancer being significantly different between the two cohorts (P<0.001). Both males and females experienced significantly improved SOSGOQ2.0, EQ-5D, and pain NRS scores at all study time points from baseline (P<0.001). Upon sensitivity analysis, (gender-specific cancers removed from analysis), the significant improvement in SOSGOQ physical, mental, and social subdomains and on SF-36 domains disappeared for females. Males experienced higher rates of postoperative complications. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of both the overall and sensitivity analysis cohorts showed females lived longer than males after treatment (P=0.001 and 0.043, respectively). CONCLUSION Both males and females experienced significantly improved HRQoL scores after treatment, but females demonstrated longer survival and a lower complication rate. This study suggests that gender may be a prognostic factor in survival and clinical outcomes for patients undergoing treatment for spine metastases and should be taken into consideration when counseling patients accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Rory Goodwin
- Department of Neurosurgery. Spine Division. Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Meghan Price
- Department of Neurosurgery. Spine Division. Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Andrea N Goodwin
- Department of Sociology, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Tara Dalton
- Department of Neurosurgery. Spine Division. Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Anne L Versteeg
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arjun Sahgal
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laurence D Rhines
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - James M Schuster
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Michael H Weber
- Division of Surgery, McGill University and Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Aron Lazary
- National Center for Spinal Disorders and Buda Health Center, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Chetan Bettegowda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto and Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul M Arnold
- Department of Neurosurgery, Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL
| | - Nicolas Dea
- Division of Spine, Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Raphaele Charest-Morin
- Division of Spine, Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John Shin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Ilya Laufer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Spinal Neurosurgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY
| | - Dean Chou
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Ziya L Gokaslan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI
| | | | - Charles G Fisher
- Division of Spine, Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel M Sciubba
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY
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Rujeedawa T, Mowforth OD, Davies BM, Yang C, Nouri A, Francis JJ, Aarabi B, Kwon BK, Harrop J, Wilson JR, Martin AR, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Guest JD, Fehlings MG, Kotter MR. Degenerative Thoracic Myelopathy: A Scoping Review of Epidemiology, Genetics, and Pathogenesis. Global Spine J 2023:21925682231224768. [PMID: 38146739 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231224768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Literature Review. OBJECTIVE Myelopathy affecting the thoracic spinal cord can arise secondary to several aetiologies which have similar presentation and management. Consequently, there are many uncertainties in this area, including optimal terminology and definitions. Recent collaborative cervical spinal research has led to the proposal and subsequent community adoption of the name degenerative cervical myelopathy(DCM), which has facilitated the establishment of internationally-agreed research priorities for DCM. We put forward the case for the introduction of the term degenerative thoracic myelopathy(DTM) and degenerative spinal myelopathy(DSM) as an umbrella term for both DCM and DTM. METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was performed to identify degenerative thoracic myelopathy literature in Embase and MEDLINE. RESULTS Conditions encompassed within DTM include thoracic spondylotic myelopathy, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, ossification of the ligamentum flavum, calcification of ligaments, hypertrophy of ligaments, degenerative disc disease, thoracic osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc herniation, and posterior osteophytosis. The classic presentation includes girdle pain, gait disturbance, leg weakness, sensory disturbance, and bladder or bowel dysfunction, often with associated back pain. Surgical management is typically favoured with post-surgical outcomes dependent on many factors, including the causative pathology, and presence of additional stenosis. CONCLUSION The clinical entities encompassed by the term DTM are interrelated, can manifest concurrently, and present similarly. Building on the consensus adoption of DCM in the cervical spine and the recent proposal of degenerative cervical radiculopathy(DCR), extending this common nomenclature framework to the terms degenerative spinal myelopathy and degenerative thoracic myelopathy will help improve recognition and communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanzil Rujeedawa
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Oliver D Mowforth
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Benjamin M Davies
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Cylene Yang
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Aria Nouri
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jibin J Francis
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Brian K Kwon
- Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - James Harrop
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - James D Guest
- Department of Neurosurgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark R Kotter
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Wilson JRF, Badhiwala JH, Moghaddamjou A, Vaccaro AR, Arnold PM, Bartels RHMA, Barbagallo G, Fehlings MG. Adverse effects of frailty on the outcomes of surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy: results from a prospective multicenter international data set of 757 patients. J Neurosurg Spine 2023; 39:815-821. [PMID: 37728372 DOI: 10.3171/2023.6.spine23461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to determine the effect of the degree of frailty on long-term neurological and functional outcomes after surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). METHODS A combined database of patients enrolled in the Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy-North America and Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy-International prospective international multicenter observational studies who underwent surgery for DCM was used as the source data. All patients underwent baseline and follow-up assessment at 2 years after surgery for functional, disability, and quality of life measurements (modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association [mJOA] scale, Neck Disability Index, SF-36 physical and mental component summary scores). Patients were separated into 4 groups according to their baseline modified frailty index 5-point scale score: not frail, pre-frail, frail, and severely frail. Differences among groups were analyzed at baseline and at 2 years after surgery, including change in scores (delta values) and the odds ratio of achieving the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) through univariate and multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, approach, number of levels treated, and sex. RESULTS A total of 757 patients (63% male) with a mean age of 56 (95% CI 55.5-57.2) years were included: 470 patients underwent an anterior approach, 310 had a posterior approach, and 23 had a combined anterior/posterior approach. A total of 50% (n = 378) of patients were classified as not frail, with 33% (n = 250) pre-frail, 13% (n = 101) frail, and 4% (n = 28) severely frail. The baseline mJOA score was significantly lower with increasing frailty (14.00 [95% CI 13.75-14.19] for not frail vs 9.71 [95% CI 9.01-10.42] for severely frail patients; p < 0.05), but the change at 2 years was not significantly different among all groups (2.43 [95% CI 2.16-2.71] for not frail vs 2.56 [95% CI 1.10-4.02] for severely frail). The SF-36 delta values were also not different among groups, but significantly worse at baseline with increasing frailty. The odds ratio of achieving MCID for mJOA was significantly higher in the not frail group (1.89 [95% CI 1.36-2.61]; p < 0.05) compared to the other frailty cohorts, which remained after adjusting for age, approach, levels treated, and sex. The odds ratio of achieving MCID for the SF-36 domains was similar among all frailty groups. CONCLUSIONS Increasing frailty is associated with worse baseline functional and quality of life measures in patients undergoing surgery for DCM. Frailty does not affect the magnitude of improvement in outcome measures after surgery, but reduces the chance of achieving the MCID for functional impairment significantly. Preoperative frailty assessment can therefore help guide clinicians in managing expectations after surgery for DCM. Potentially modifiable factors should be optimized in frail patients preoperatively to enhance functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie R F Wilson
- 1Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Jetan H Badhiwala
- 2Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ali Moghaddamjou
- 2Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 3Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander R Vaccaro
- 4Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopedic Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Paul M Arnold
- 5Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Ronald H M A Bartels
- 6Department of Neurosurgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Giuseppe Barbagallo
- 7Department of Neurosurgery, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele Catania, Italy; and
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- 2Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 3Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 8Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Affiliation(s)
- Laureen D Hachem
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gustavo Balbinot
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Goyal K, Sunny JT, Gillespie CS, Wilby M, Clark SR, Kaiser R, Fehlings MG, Srikandarajah N. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Vertebral Artery Injury After Cervical Spine Trauma. Global Spine J 2023:21925682231209631. [PMID: 37924280 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231209631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. OBJECTIVE Identify the incidence, mechanism of injury, investigations, management, and outcomes of Vertebral Artery Injury (VAI) after cervical spine trauma. METHODS A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO-ID CRD42021295265). Three databases were searched (PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, CINAHL PLUS). Incidence of VAI, investigations to diagnose (Computed Tomography Angiography, Digital Subtraction Angiography, Magnetic Resonance Angiography), stroke incidence, and management paradigms (conservative, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, surgical, endovascular treatment) were delineated. Incidence was calculated using pooled proportions random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS A total of 44 studies were included (1777 patients). 20-studies (n = 503) included data on trauma type; 75.5% (n = 380) suffered blunt trauma and 24.5% (n = 123) penetrating. The overall incidence of VAI was .95% (95% CI 0.65-1.29). From the 16 studies which reported data on outcomes, 8.87% (95% CI 5.34- 12.99) of patients with VAI had a posterior stroke. Of the 33 studies with investigation data, 91.7% (2929/3629) underwent diagnostic CTA; 7.5% (242/3629) underwent MRA and 3.0% (98/3629) underwent DSA. Management data from 20 papers (n = 475) showed 17.9% (n = 85) undergoing conservative therapy, anticoagulation in 14.1% (n = 67), antiplatelets in 16.4% (n = 78), combined therapy in 25.5% (n = 121) and the rest (n = 124) managed using surgical and endovascular treatments. CONCLUSION VAI in cervical spine trauma has an approximate posterior circulation stroke risk of 9%. Optimal management paradigms for the prevention and management of VAI are yet to be standardized and require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartik Goyal
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
- Northern General Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospital Trusts, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jesvin T Sunny
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
- Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Conor S Gillespie
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Martin Wilby
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Simon R Clark
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Radek Kaiser
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurooncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Military University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nisaharan Srikandarajah
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Liverpool, UK
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Jiang Z, Davies B, Zipser C, Margetis K, Martin A, Matsoukas S, Zipser-Mohammadzada F, Kheram N, Boraschi A, Zakin E, Obadaseraye OR, Fehlings MG, Wilson J, Yurac R, Cook CE, Milligan J, Tabrah J, Widdop S, Wood L, Roberts EA, Rujeedawa T, Tetreault L. The Frequency of Symptoms in Patients With a Diagnosis of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Results of a Scoping Review. Global Spine J 2023:21925682231210468. [PMID: 37917661 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231210468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Delayed diagnosis of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is associated with reduced quality of life and greater disability. Developing diagnostic criteria for DCM has been identified as a top research priority. OBJECTIVES This scoping review aims to address the following questions: What is the diagnostic accuracy and frequency of clinical symptoms in patients with DCM? METHODS A scoping review was conducted using a database of all primary DCM studies published between 2005 and 2020. Studies were included if they (i) assessed the diagnostic accuracy of a symptom using an appropriate control group or (ii) reported the frequency of a symptom in a cohort of DCM patients. RESULTS This review identified three studies that discussed the diagnostic accuracy of various symptoms and included a control group. An additional 58 reported on the frequency of symptoms in a cohort of patients with DCM. The most frequent and sensitive symptoms in DCM include unspecified paresthesias (86%), hand numbness (82%) and hand paresthesias (79%). Neck and/or shoulder pain was present in 51% of patients with DCM, whereas a minority had back (19%) or lower extremity pain (10%). Bladder dysfunction was uncommon (38%) although more frequent than bowel (23%) and sexual impairment (4%). Gait impairment is also commonly seen in patients with DCM (72%). CONCLUSION Patients with DCM present with many different symptoms, most commonly sensorimotor impairment of the upper extremities, pain, bladder dysfunction and gait disturbance. If patients present with a combination of these symptoms, further neuroimaging is indicated to confirm the diagnosis of DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Jiang
- King's College Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Carl Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Konstantinos Margetis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Allan Martin
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Stavros Matsoukas
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Najmeh Kheram
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- The Interface Group, Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Boraschi
- The Interface Group, Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elina Zakin
- Department of Neurology, New York UniversityLangone, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spinal Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jamie Wilson
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ratko Yurac
- Professor of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University del Desarrollo, Clinica Alemana de Santiago, Santiago, Chile
| | - Chad E Cook
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jamie Milligan
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, USA
| | - Julia Tabrah
- Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare, London, UK
| | | | - Lianne Wood
- Nottingham University Hospital, Nottingham, UK
| | | | | | - Lindsay Tetreault
- Department of Neurology, New York UniversityLangone, New York, NY, USA
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Himič V, Syrmos N, Ligarotti GKI, Kato S, Fehlings MG, Ganau M. The role of genetic and epigenetic factors in determining the risk of spinal fragility fractures: new insights in the management of spinal osteoporosis. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2023; 13:7632-7645. [PMID: 37969626 PMCID: PMC10644129 DOI: 10.21037/qims-23-513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Osteoporosis predisposes patients to spinal fragility fractures. Imaging plays a key role in the diagnosis and prognostication of these osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF). However, the current imaging knowledge base for OVF is lacking sufficient standardisation to enable effective risk prognostication. OVF have been shown to be more prevalent in Caucasian patient cohorts in comparison to the Eastern Asian population. These population-based differences in risk for developing OVF suggest that there could be genetic and epigenetic factors that drive the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, low bone mineral density (BMD) and OVF. Several genetic loci have been associated with a higher vertebral fracture risk, although at varying degrees of significance. The present challenge is clarifying whether these associations are specific to vertebral fractures or osteoporosis more generally. Furthermore, these factors could be exploited for diagnostic interpretation as biomarkers [including novel long non-coding (lnc)RNAs, micro (mi)RNAs and circular (circ)RNAs]. The extent of methylation of genes, alongside post-translational histone modifications, have shown to affect several interlinked pathways that converge on the regulation of bone deposition and resorption, partially through their influence on osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. Lastly, in addition to biomarkers, several exciting new imaging modalities could add to the established dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method used for BMD assessment. New technologies, and novel sequences within existing imaging modalities, may be able to quantify the quality of bone in addition to the BMD and bone structure; these are making progress through various stages of development from the pre-clinical sphere through to deployment in the clinical setting. In this mini review, we explore the literature to clarify the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with spinal fragility fractures and delineate the causal genes, pathways and interactions which could drive different risk profiles. We also outline the cutting-edge imaging modalities which could transform diagnostic protocols for OVF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vratko Himič
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS FT, Oxford, UK
| | - Nikolaos Syrmos
- Department of Neurosurgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | | | - So Kato
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spinal Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mario Ganau
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS FT, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Jiang Z, Davies B, Zipser C, Margetis K, Martin A, Matsoukas S, Zipser-Mohammadzada F, Kheram N, Boraschi A, Zakin E, Obadaseraye OR, Fehlings MG, Wilson J, Yurac R, Cook CE, Milligan J, Tabrah J, Widdop S, Wood L, Roberts EA, Rujeedawa T, Tetreault L. The value of Clinical signs in the diagnosis of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy - A Systematic review and Meta-analysis. Global Spine J 2023:21925682231209869. [PMID: 37903098 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231209869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Delayed diagnosis of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is likely due to a combination of its subtle symptoms, incomplete neurological assessments by clinicians and a lack of public and professional awareness. Diagnostic criteria for DCM will likely facilitate earlier referral for definitive management. OBJECTIVES This systematic review aims to determine (i) the diagnostic accuracy of various clinical signs and (ii) the association between clinical signs and disease severity in DCM? METHODS A search was performed to identify studies on adult patients that evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a clinical sign used for diagnosing DCM. Studies were also included if they assessed the association between the presence of a clinical sign and disease severity. The QUADAS-2 tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias of individual studies. RESULTS This review identified eleven studies that used a control group to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of various signs. An additional 61 articles reported on the frequency of clinical signs in a cohort of DCM patients. The most sensitive clinical tests for diagnosing DCM were the Tromner and hyperreflexia, whereas the most specific tests were the Babinski, Tromner, clonus and inverted supinator sign. Five studies evaluated the association between the presence of various clinical signs and disease severity. There was no definite association between Hoffmann sign, Babinski sign or hyperreflexia and disease severity. CONCLUSION The presence of clinical signs suggesting spinal cord compression should encourage health care professionals to pursue further investigation, such as neuroimaging to either confirm or refute a diagnosis of DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Jiang
- King's College Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Carl Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Allan Martin
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Stavros Matsoukas
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | - Najmeh Kheram
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- The Interface Group, Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Boraschi
- The Interface Group, Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elina Zakin
- New York University Langone, Department of Neurology, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- University of Toronto Division of Neurosurgery and Spinal Program, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jamie Wilson
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ratko Yurac
- University del Desarrollo, Clinica Alemana de Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Jamie Milligan
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, USA
| | - Julia Tabrah
- Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare, Teddington, UK
| | | | - Lianne Wood
- Nottingham University Hospital, Nottingham, UK
| | | | | | - Lindsay Tetreault
- New York University Langone, Department of Neurology, New York, NY, USA
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Farkas C, Retamal-Fredes E, Ávila A, Fehlings MG, Vidal PM. Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1229783. [PMID: 37928672 PMCID: PMC10623434 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1229783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in elderly populations. It describes a spectrum of disorders that cause progressive spinal cord compression, neurological impairment, loss of bladder and bowel functions, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. The gut microbiota has been recognized as an environmental factor that can modulate both the function of the central nervous system and the immune response through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Changes in gut microbiota composition or microbiota-producing factors have been linked to the progression and development of several pathologies. However, little is known about the potential role of the gut microbiota in the pathobiology of DCM. Here, DCM was induced in C57BL/6 mice by implanting an aromatic polyether material underneath the C5-6 laminae. The extent of DCM-induced changes in microbiota composition was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of the fecal samples. The immune cell composition was assessed using flow cytometry. To date, several bacterial members have been identified using BLAST against the largest collection of metagenome-derived genomes from the mouse gut. In both, female and males DCM caused gut dysbiosis compared to the sham group. However, dysbiosis was more pronounced in males than in females, and several bacterial members of the families Lachnospiraceae and Muribaculaceae were significantly altered in the DCM group. These changes were also associated with altered microbe-derived metabolic changes in propionate-, butyrate-, and lactate-producing bacterial members. Our results demonstrate that DCM causes dynamic changes over time in the gut microbiota, reducing the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria, and lactate-producing bacteria to a lesser extent. Genome-scale metabolic modeling using gapseq successfully identified pyruvate-to-butanoate and pyruvate-to-propionate reactions involving genes such as Buk and ACH1, respectively. These results provide a better understanding of the sex-specific molecular effects of changes in the gut microbiota on DCM pathobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Farkas
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Eduardo Retamal-Fredes
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ariel Ávila
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Department of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Spinal Program, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pia M Vidal
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Neuroimmunology and Regeneration of the Central Nervous System Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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Sangeorzan I, Antonacci G, Martin A, Grodzinski B, Zipser CM, Murphy RKJ, Andriopoulou P, Cook CE, Anderson DB, Guest J, Furlan JC, Kotter MRN, Boerger TF, Sadler I, Roberts EA, Wood H, Fraser C, Fehlings MG, Kumar V, Jung J, Milligan J, Nouri A, Martin AR, Blizzard T, Vialle LR, Tetreault L, Kalsi-Ryan S, MacDowall A, Martin-Moore E, Burwood M, Wood L, Lalkhen A, Ito M, Wilson N, Treanor C, Dugan S, Davies BM. Toward Shared Decision-Making in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e46809. [PMID: 37812472 PMCID: PMC10594151 DOI: 10.2196/46809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health care decisions are a critical determinant in the evolution of chronic illness. In shared decision-making (SDM), patients and clinicians work collaboratively to reach evidence-based health decisions that align with individual circumstances, values, and preferences. This personalized approach to clinical care likely has substantial benefits in the oversight of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), a type of nontraumatic spinal cord injury. Its chronicity, heterogeneous clinical presentation, complex management, and variable disease course engenders an imperative for a patient-centric approach that accounts for each patient's unique needs and priorities. Inadequate patient knowledge about the condition and an incomplete understanding of the critical decision points that arise during the course of care currently hinder the fruitful participation of health care providers and patients in SDM. This study protocol presents the rationale for deploying SDM for DCM and delineates the groundwork required to achieve this. OBJECTIVE The study's primary outcome is the development of a comprehensive checklist to be implemented upon diagnosis that provides patients with essential information necessary to support their informed decision-making. This is known as a core information set (CIS). The secondary outcome is the creation of a detailed process map that provides a diagrammatic representation of the global care workflows and cognitive processes involved in DCM care. Characterizing the critical decision points along a patient's journey will allow for an effective exploration of SDM tools for routine clinical practice to enhance patient-centered care and improve clinical outcomes. METHODS Both CISs and process maps are coproduced iteratively through a collaborative process involving the input and consensus of key stakeholders. This will be facilitated by Myelopathy.org, a global DCM charity, through its Research Objectives and Common Data Elements for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy community. To develop the CIS, a 3-round, web-based Delphi process will be used, starting with a baseline list of information items derived from a recent scoping review of educational materials in DCM, patient interviews, and a qualitative survey of professionals. A priori criteria for achieving consensus are specified. The process map will be developed iteratively using semistructured interviews with patients and professionals and validated by key stakeholders. RESULTS Recruitment for the Delphi consensus study began in April 2023. The pilot-testing of process map interview participants started simultaneously, with the formulation of an initial baseline map underway. CONCLUSIONS This protocol marks the first attempt to provide a starting point for investigating SDM in DCM. The primary work centers on developing an educational tool for use in diagnosis to enable enhanced onward decision-making. The wider objective is to aid stakeholders in developing SDM tools by identifying critical decision junctures in DCM care. Through these approaches, we aim to provide an exhaustive launchpad for formulating SDM tools in the wider DCM community. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/46809.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Grazia Antonacci
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Northwest London, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Health Economics and Policy Innovation (CHEPI), Business School, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Martin
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Grodzinski
- University Hospitals Sussex, NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Carl M Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rory K J Murphy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Panoraia Andriopoulou
- Psychology Department, School of Social Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Chad E Cook
- Division of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, CA, United States
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, CA, United States
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, CA, United States
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, CA, United States
| | - David B Anderson
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - James Guest
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Julio C Furlan
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark R N Kotter
- Myelopathy.org, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy F Boerger
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | | | | | - Helen Wood
- Myelopathy.org, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Fraser
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Physiotherapy Department, National Health Service Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vishal Kumar
- Department of Orthopaedics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
- Department of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar, India
| | - Josephine Jung
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Milligan
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Aria Nouri
- Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Luiz Roberto Vialle
- School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Lindsay Tetreault
- Department of Neurology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sukhvinder Kalsi-Ryan
- The KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna MacDowall
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University and Department of Orthopaedics, The Academic Hospital of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | - Lianne Wood
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- NeuroSpinal Assessment Unit, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Abdul Lalkhen
- Northern Care Alliance, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Manabu Ito
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Medical Center, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Nicky Wilson
- Physiotherapy Department, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Treanor
- Department of Physiotherapy, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Physiotherapy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Benjamin M Davies
- Myelopathy.org, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Pieczonka K, Nakashima H, Nagoshi N, Yokota K, Hong J, Badner A, Chio JCT, Shibata S, Khazaei M, Fehlings MG. Human Spinal Oligodendrogenic Neural Progenitor Cells Enhance Pathophysiological Outcomes and Functional Recovery in a Clinically Relevant Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Rat Model. Stem Cells Transl Med 2023; 12:603-616. [PMID: 37616288 PMCID: PMC10502566 DOI: 10.1093/stcltm/szad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in the loss of neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. Present interventions for SCI include decompressive surgery, anti-inflammatory therapies, and rehabilitation programs. Nonetheless, these approaches do not offer regenerative solutions to replace the lost cells, fiber tracts, and circuits. Neural stem/progenitor cell (NPC) transplantation is a promising strategy that aims to encourage regeneration. However, NPC differentiation remains inconsistent, thus, contributing to suboptimal functional recovery. As such, we have previously engineered oligodendrogenically biased NPCs (oNPCs) and demonstrated their efficacy in a thoracic model of SCI. Since the majority of patients with SCI experience cervical injuries, our objective in the current study was to generate human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived oNPCs (hiPSC-oNPCs) and to characterize these cells in vitro and in vivo, utilizing a clinically relevant rodent model of cervical SCI. Following transplantation, the oNPCs engrafted, migrated to the rostral and caudal regions of the lesion, and demonstrated preferential differentiation toward oligodendrocytes. Histopathological evaluations revealed that oNPC transplantation facilitated tissue preservation while diminishing astrogliosis. Moreover, oNPC transplantation fostered remyelination of the spared tissue. Functional analyses indicated improved forelimb grip strength, gait, and locomotor function in the oNPC-transplanted rats. Importantly, oNPC transplantation did not exacerbate neuropathic pain or induce tumor formation. In conclusion, these findings underscore the therapeutic potential of oNPCs in promoting functional recovery and histopathological improvements in cervical SCI. This evidence warrants further investigation to optimize and advance this promising cell-based therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Pieczonka
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hiroaki Nakashima
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Narihito Nagoshi
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Orthopaedics, Keio University, Minatro City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuya Yokota
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - James Hong
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anna Badner
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathon C T Chio
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shinsuke Shibata
- Electron Microscope Laboratory, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mohamad Khazaei
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spinal Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Naghdi N, Elliott JM, Weber MH, Fehlings MG, Fortin M. Cervical muscle morphometry and composition demonstrate prognostic value in degenerative cervical myelopathy outcomes. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1209475. [PMID: 37745653 PMCID: PMC10512835 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1209475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to examine whether preoperative cervical muscle size, composition, and asymmetry from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can predict post-operative outcomes in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Methods A total of 171 patients with DCM were included. Relative total cross-sectional area (RCSA), functional CSA (fat-free area, FCSA), ratio of FCSA/CSA (fatty infiltration) and asymmetry of the multifidus (MF) and semispinalis cervicis (SCer) together (MF + SCer), and cervical muscle as a group (MF, SCer, semispinalis capitis, and splenius capitis) were obtained from T2-weighted axial MR images at the mid-disk, at the level of maximum cord compression and the level below. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between baseline cervical muscle measurements of interest with the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA), Nurick Classification, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and SF-36 health survey at 6-month and 12-month post-surgery. Results Lower RCSA of MF + SCer, less CSA MF + SCer asymmetry and greater FCSA/CSA for the cervical muscle group (e.g., less fatty infiltration), and younger age were significant predictors of higher mJOA scores (e.g., less disability) at 6-month and 12-month post-surgery (all p < 0.05). Greater CSA asymmetry in MF + SCer and lower FCSA/CSA (e.g., more fatty infiltration) for the cervical muscle group were significant predictors of higher Nurick scores (e.g., more disability) at 6-month and 12-month post-surgery (all p < 0.05). Lower FCSA MF + Scer asymmetry, lower FCSA/CSA asymmetry of the muscle group, and greater RCSA MF + SCer were significant predictors of higher NDI scores at 6-month and 12-month post-surgery. Finally, greater FCSA/CSA asymmetry of the MF + SCer, greater FCSA asymmetry of the muscle group, greater RCSA of the muscle group, and greater CSA asymmetry of MF + SCer were significant predictors of lower post-operative SF-36 scores at 6- and 12-month post-surgery. Conclusion Our result suggested that cervical paraspinal muscle morphology, specifically greater asymmetry, and fatty infiltration may be important predictors of functional recovery and post-surgical outcomes in patients with DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Naghdi
- Department of Health, Kinesiology & Applied Physiology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - James M. Elliott
- The Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- The Northern Sydney Local Health District, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael H. Weber
- Montreal General Hospital Site, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Department of Neurosurgery and Spinal Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maryse Fortin
- Department of Health, Kinesiology & Applied Physiology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Readaptation (CRIR), Montreal, QC, Canada
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Tkatschenko D, Hansen S, Koch J, Ames C, Fehlings MG, Berven S, Sekhon L, Shaffrey C, Smith JS, Hart R, Kim HJ, Wang J, Ha Y, Kwan K, Hai Y, Valacco M, Falavigna A, Taboada N, Guiroy A, Emmerich J, Meyer B, Kandziora F, Thomé C, Loibl M, Peul W, Gasbarrini A, Obeid I, Gehrchen M, Trampuz A, Vajkoczy P, Onken J. Prevention of Surgical Site Infections in Spine Surgery: An International Survey of Clinical Practices Among Expert Spine Surgeons. Global Spine J 2023; 13:2007-2015. [PMID: 35216540 PMCID: PMC10556889 DOI: 10.1177/21925682211068414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Questionnaire-based survey. OBJECTIVES Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication in spine surgery but universal guidelines for SSI prevention are lacking. The objectives of this study are to depict a global status quo on implemented prevention strategies in spine surgery, common themes of practice and determine key areas for future research. METHODS An 80-item survey was distributed among spine surgeons worldwide via email. The questionnaire was designed and approved by an International Consensus Group on spine SSI. Consensus was defined as more than 60% of participants agreeing to a specific prevention strategy. RESULTS Four hundred seventy-two surgeons participated in the survey. Screening for Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is not common, whereas preoperative decolonization is performed in almost half of all hospitals. Body mass index (BMI) was not important for surgery planning. In contrast, elevated HbA1c level and hypoalbuminemia were often considered as reasons to postpone surgery. Cefazoline is the common drug for antimicrobial prophylaxis. Alcohol-based chlorhexidine is mainly used for skin disinfection. Double-gloving, wound irrigation, and tissue-conserving surgical techniques are routine in the operating room (OR). Local antibiotic administration is not common. Wound closure techniques and postoperative wound dressing routines vary greatly between the participating institutions. CONCLUSIONS With this study we provide an international overview on the heterogeneity of SSI prevention strategies in spine surgery. We demonstrated a large heterogeneity for pre-, peri- and postoperative measures to prevent SSI. Our data illustrated the need for developing universal guidelines and for testing areas of controversy in prospective clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Tkatschenko
- Department of Neurosurgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja Hansen
- Department of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Koch
- Department of Neurosurgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christopher Ames
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sigurd Berven
- Orthopedic Surgery, UCSF Spine Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Christopher Shaffrey
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Justin S. Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Robert Hart
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Han Jo Kim
- Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Yoon Ha
- Department of Neurosurgery, Spine, and Spinal Cord Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kenny Kwan
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Yong Hai
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Chao-yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Marcelo Valacco
- Department of Orthopaedics, Churruca Hospital de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Asdrubal Falavigna
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Alfredo Guiroy
- Spine Unit, Orthopedic Department, Hospital Español, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Juan Emmerich
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Children’s Hospital, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Bernhard Meyer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Kandziora
- Centre for Spinal Surgery and Neurotraumatology, BG Unfallklinik, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Claudius Thomé
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria
| | - Markus Loibl
- Department of Spine Surgery, Schulthess Klinik Zürich Switzerland and Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Wilco Peul
- University Neurosurgical Center Holland, Leiden University Medical Center, Haaglanden Medical Center & Haga Teaching Hospital, Leiden and The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Gasbarrini
- Department of Oncologic and Degenerative Spine Surgery, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ibrahim Obeid
- Clinique du Dos, Elsan Jean Villar Private Hospital, Bordeaux, France
| | - Martin Gehrchen
- Spine Unit, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrej Trampuz
- Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery (CMSC), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Vajkoczy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Onken
- Department of Neurosurgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Fehlings MG, Neal CJ, Hejrati N, Harrop JS, Toups EG, Guest JD. An Introduction to the North American Clinical Trials Network for Spinal Cord Injury Special Edition: Reflections on Accomplishments and a Look to the Future. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1811-1816. [PMID: 37668560 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) has been established as a network of translational clinical research centers focused on traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) with the goals of facilitating clinical translational research, promotion of enhanced clinical care protocols including the principle of early surgery for SCI, and improving outcomes for individuals with acute SCI. Since its foundation in 2004 by Dr. Robert Grossman, NACTN has evolved into a powerful multi-stakeholder consortium of eight neurosurgical department faculties at university-affiliated institutions in the United States and Canada, a data management center, and a pharmacological center. To date, high-quality data from more than 1000 patients have been prospectively collected, providing us with a strong body of evidence surrounding SCI epidemiology, the natural history, and complications of acute and subacute SCI management. Key accomplishments of NACTN are summarized in this Focus issue. They include the launch, in collaboration with AO Spine, of the international, multi-center, placebo-controlled, Phase III Riluzole in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (RISCIS) that recruited 192 patients. While the primary analyses did not achieve the predetermined endpoint of efficacy for Riluzole, likely related to insufficient power, pre-planned secondary analyses demonstrated that all subgroups of cervical SCI subjects (AIS grades A, B and C) treated with Riluzole showed significant gains in functional recovery. The Focus Issue also includes a detailed analysis of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of riluzole in the setting of acute SCI (RISCIS-PK study). Additional achievements include key contributions to the evidence supporting the role of early surgery in acute SCI, and a better understanding of the impact of complications on the outcomes of SCI. Future directions of NACTN will build on past accomplishments and focus on enhanced collaborations with other SCI networks, advanced analytics to examine large datasets, and a greater focus on chronic SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chris J Neal
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nader Hejrati
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James S Harrop
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Elizabeth G Toups
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - James D Guest
- Neurological Surgery and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
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44
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Quddusi A, Pedro KM, Alvi MA, Hejrati N, Fehlings MG. Early surgical intervention for acute spinal cord injury: time is spine. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2023; 165:2665-2674. [PMID: 37468659 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-023-05698-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is a devastating occurrence that significantly contributes to global morbidity and mortality. Surgical decompression with stabilization is the most effective way to minimize the damaging sequelae that follow acute tSCI. In recent years, strong evidence has emerged that supports the rationale that early surgical intervention, within 24 h following the initial injury, is associated with a better prognosis and functional outcomes. In this review, we have summarized the evidence and elaborated on the nuances of this concept. Additionally, we have reviewed further concepts that stem from "time is spine," including earlier cutoffs less than 24 h and the challenging entity of central cord syndrome, as well as the emerging concept of adequate surgical decompression. Lastly, we identify barriers to early surgical care for acute tSCI, a key aspect of spine care that needs to be globally addressed via research and policy on an urgent basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Quddusi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karlo M Pedro
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Ali Alvi
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nader Hejrati
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Suite 4WW-449, Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.
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Guest JD, Kelly-Hedrick M, Williamson T, Park C, Ali DM, Sivaganesan A, Neal CJ, Tator CH, Fehlings MG. Development of a Systems Medicine Approach to Spinal Cord Injury. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1849-1877. [PMID: 37335060 PMCID: PMC10460697 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2023.0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes a sudden onset multi-system disease, permanently altering homeostasis with multiple complications. Consequences include aberrant neuronal circuits, multiple organ system dysfunctions, and chronic phenotypes such as neuropathic pain and metabolic syndrome. Reductionist approaches are used to classify SCI patients based on residual neurological function. Still, recovery varies due to interacting variables, including individual biology, comorbidities, complications, therapeutic side effects, and socioeconomic influences for which data integration methods are lacking. Infections, pressure sores, and heterotopic ossification are known recovery modifiers. However, the molecular pathobiology of the disease-modifying factors altering the neurological recovery-chronic syndrome trajectory is mainly unknown, with significant data gaps between intensive early treatment and chronic phases. Changes in organ function such as gut dysbiosis, adrenal dysregulation, fatty liver, muscle loss, and autonomic dysregulation disrupt homeostasis, generating progression-driving allostatic load. Interactions between interdependent systems produce emergent effects, such as resilience, that preclude single mechanism interpretations. Due to many interacting variables in individuals, substantiating the effects of treatments to improve neurological outcomes is difficult. Acute injury outcome predictors, including blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, neuroimaging signal changes, and autonomic system abnormalities, often do not predict chronic SCI syndrome phenotypes. In systems medicine, network analysis of bioinformatics data is used to derive molecular control modules. To better understand the evolution from acute SCI to chronic SCI multi-system states, we propose a topological phenotype framework integrating bioinformatics, physiological data, and allostatic load tested against accepted established recovery metrics. This form of correlational phenotyping may reveal critical nodal points for intervention to improve recovery trajectories. This study examines the limitations of current classifications of SCI and how these can evolve through systems medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Guest
- Neurological Surgery and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | | | - Theresa Williamson
- Massachusetts General Neurosurgery, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christine Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Daniyal Mansoor Ali
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ahilan Sivaganesan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Chris J. Neal
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Charles H. Tator
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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46
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Kelly-Hedrik M, Abd-El-Barr MM, Aarabi B, Curt A, Howley SP, Harrop JS, Kirshblum S, Neal CJ, Noonan V, Park C, Ugiliweneza B, Tator C, Toups EG, Fehlings MG, Williamson T, Guest JD. Importance of Prospective Registries and Clinical Research Networks in the Evolution of Spinal Cord Injury Care. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1834-1848. [PMID: 36576020 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Only 100 years ago, traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) was commonly lethal. Today, most people who sustain SCI survive with continual efforts to improve their quality of life and neurological outcomes. SCI epidemiology is changing as preventative interventions reduce injuries in younger individuals, and there is an increased incidence of incomplete injuries in aging populations. Early treatment has become more intensive with decompressive surgery and proactive interventions to improve spinal cord perfusion. Accurate data, including specialized outcome measures, are crucial to understanding the impact of epidemiological and treatment trends. Dedicated SCI clinical research and data networks and registries have been established in the United States, Canada, Europe, and several other countries. We review four registry networks: the North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) SCI Registry, the National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) Database, the Rick Hansen SCI Registry (RHSCIR), and the European Multi-Center Study about Spinal Cord Injury (EMSCI). We compare the registries' focuses, data platforms, advanced analytics use, and impacts. We also describe how registries' data can be combined with electronic health records (EHRs) or shared using federated analysis to protect registrants' identities. These registries have identified changes in epidemiology, recovery patterns, complication incidence, and the impact of practice changes such as early decompression. They've also revealed latent disease-modifying factors, helped develop clinical trial stratification models, and served as matched control groups in clinical trials. Advancing SCI clinical science for personalized medicine requires advanced analytical techniques, including machine learning, counterfactual analysis, and the creation of digital twins. Registries and other data sources help drive innovation in SCI clinical science.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bizhan Aarabi
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland, USA
| | - Armin Curt
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susan P Howley
- Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Short Hills, New Jersey, USA
| | - James S Harrop
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Steven Kirshblum
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, New Jersey, USA
- Kessler Foundation, West Orange, New Jersey, USA
| | - Christopher J Neal
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Vanessa Noonan
- Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christine Park
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Charles Tator
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth G Toups
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Theresa Williamson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James D Guest
- Neurological Surgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, USA
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47
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Mansoor Ali D, Sivaganesan A, Neal CJ, Thalheimer S, Ugiliweneza B, Toups EG, Abd-El-Barr M, Jimsheleishvili G, Kurpad SN, Aarabi B, Shaffrey CI, Fehlings MG, Tator CH, Grossman RG, Guest JD, Harrop JS. Bulbocavernosus Reflex Has No Prognostic Features During the Acute Evaluation of Spinal Cord Injuries. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1970-1975. [PMID: 36884291 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) has been used during the initial evaluation of a spinal cord injury patient as a metric to determine prognosis and whether the patient is in "spinal shock." This reflex has been less utilized over the last decade, and therefore a review was performed to assess the value of BCR in patient prognosis. The North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a consortium of tertiary medical centers that includes a prospective SCI registry. The NACTN registry data was analyzed to evaluate the prognostic implication of the BCR during the initial evaluation of a spinal cord injury patient. SCI patients were divided into those with an intact or absent BCR during their initial evaluation. Associations of participants' descriptors and neurological status on follow-up were performed, followed by associations with the presence of a BCR. A total of 769 registry patients with recorded BCRs were included in the study. The median age was 49 years (32-61 years), and the majority were male (n = 566, 77%) and white (n = 519, 73%). Among included patients, high blood pressure was the most common comorbidity (n = 230, 31%). Cervical spinal cord injury was the most common (n = 470, 76%) with fall (n = 320, 43%) being the most frequent mechanism of injury. BCR was present in 311 patients (40.4%), while 458 (59.6%) had a negative BCR within 7 days of injury or before surgery. At 6 months post-injury, 230 patients (29.9%) followed up, of which 145 had a positive BCR, while 85 had a negative BCR. The presence/absence of BCR was significantly different in patients with cervical (p = 0.0015) or thoracic SCI (p = 0.0089), or conus medullaris syndrome (p = 0.0035), and in those who were American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade A (p = 0.0313). No significant relationship was observed between BCR results and demographics, AIS grade conversion, motor score changes (p = 0.1669), and changes in pin prick (p = 0.3795) and light touch scores (p = 0.8178). In addition, cohorts were not different in surgery decision (p = 0.7762) and injury to surgery time (p = 0.0681). In our review of the NACTN spinal cord registry, the BCR did not provide prognostic utility in the acute evaluation of spinal cord injury patients. Therefore, it should not be used as a reliable marker for predicting neurological outcomes post-injury.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chris J Neal
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sara Thalheimer
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth G Toups
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Shekar N Kurpad
- Neuroscience Institute, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles H Tator
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert G Grossman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - James D Guest
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - James S Harrop
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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48
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Hejrati N, Aarabi B, Neal CJ, Ugiliweneza B, Kurpad SN, Shaffrey CI, Guest JD, Toups EG, Harrop JS, Fehlings MG. Trends in the Use of Corticosteroids in the Management of Acute Spinal Cord Injury in North American Clinical Trials Network Sites. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1938-1947. [PMID: 36597351 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunomodulatory therapeutics represent a potential neuroprotective strategy for the management of acute spinal cord injury (SCI). One of the most intensely debated neuroprotective drugs has been methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS), which was investigated initially for its role in mitigating lipid peroxidation. More recently, the anti-inflammatory/immunomodulatory properties of MPSS have been increasingly appreciated. Over the past two decades, several systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines related to MPSS use in SCI have been published. The goal of this study was to investigate the temporal changes in the use of steroids at North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) centers and to correlate these changes with the evolution in published literature and guidelines. Data on patients enrolled from 2008-2018 in the prospective, multi-center NACTN registry, and in whom information related to the use of steroids was available, were analyzed. Patients were stratified based on whether they received steroids or not. The primary outcome was the change in the rate of steroid use per year between 2008 and 2018. Secondary outcomes included cardiac, gastrointestinal and genitourinary (GIGU), pulmonary, and dermatological complications. We identified 608 patients, of whom 171 (28.1%) were given steroids. In 2008 and 2009, the prevailing paradigm across NACTN centers was in favor of steroid administration and as such 70% (n = 56) of patients received steroids in 2008 and 71.9% (n = 46) in 2009. An abrupt practice reversal was observed in 2010, whereby only 19.7% of patients (n = 14) received steroids, a trend that continued over subsequent years. Increasing literature in the 2000s arguing against the use of steroids culminated in the 2013 CNS/AANS practice guidelines for the management of acute SCI. These guidelines recommended against the use of MPSS for the treatment of those with acute SCI. Over the following years (2013-2018), steroids continued to be an uncommonly used therapeutic option in NACTN centers (range 3.9-16.9%). Patients receiving steroids had significantly higher rates of pulmonary complications (87%, n = 147) compared with those not receiving steroids (73%, n = 265; p = 0.0003). Compared with patients receiving steroids, however, those who did not receive steroids had significantly higher rates of cardiac (40%, [n = 146] versus 23%, [n = 39]; p = 0.0001) and gastrointestinal/genitourinary complications (55%, [n = 189], versus 31%, [n = 52]; p < 0.0001). The 2013 AANS/CNS guidelines and preceding literature appeared to have an impact on dramatically lowering the rates of corticosteroid use for acute SCI in NACTN sites after 2009. Of note, this analysis may not reflect the impact of the 2017 AO Spine Clinical Practice guidelines, which suggested the use of methylprednisolone as a valid practice option for acute SCI, especially for cervical injuries. Enhanced patient involvement in the clinical decision-making process and opportunities to personalize SCI management exist in reference to the use of MPSS in acute SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Hejrati
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chris J Neal
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Shekar N Kurpad
- Neuroscience Institute. The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - James D Guest
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Elizabeth G Toups
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Texas, USA
| | - James S Harrop
- Department of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgery, Division of Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery, and Delaware Valley SCI Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Neal CJ, Ugiliweneza B, Toups EG, Abd-El-Barr M, Jimsheleishvili G, Kurpad SN, Aarabi B, Harrop JS, Shaffrey CI, Fehlings MG, Tator CH, Grossman RG, Guest JD. Variability in Early Surgery for Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Patients: An Opportunity for Enhanced Care Delivery. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1907-1917. [PMID: 37125447 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Data supporting the benefits of early surgical intervention in acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is growing. For early surgery to be accomplished, understanding the causes of variabilities that effect the timing of surgery is needed to achieve this goal. The purpose of this analysis is to determine factors that affect the timing of surgery for acute cervical SCI within the North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) for SCI registry. Patients in the NACTN SCI registry from 2005 to 2019 with a cervical SCI, excluding acute traumatic central cord syndrome, were analyzed for time elapsed from injury to arrival to the hospital, and time to surgery. Two categories were defined: 1) Early Arrival with Early Surgery (EAES) commenced within 24 h of injury, and 2) Early Arrival but Delayed Surgery (EADS), with surgery occurring between 24 to 72 h post-injury. Patients' demographic features, initial clinical evaluation, medical comorbidities, neurological status, surgical intervention, complications, and outcome data were correlated with respect to the two arrival groups. Of the 222 acute cervical SCI patients undergoing surgery, 163 (73.4%) were EAES, and 59 (26.6%) were EADS. There was no statistical difference in arrival time between the EAES and EADS groups. There was a statistical difference in the median arrival time to surgery between the EAES group (9 h) compared with the EADS group (31 h; p < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in race, sex, age, mechanism of injury, Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores, or medical comorbidities between the two groups, but the EAES group did present with a significantly lower systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05). EADS patients were more likely to present as an American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) D than EAES (p < 0.05). Early surgery was statistically more likely to occur if the injury occurred over the weekend (p < 0.05). There were variations in the rates of early surgery between the eight NACTN sites within the study, ranging from 57 to 100%. Of the 114 patients with 6-month outcome data, there was no significant change between the two groups regarding AIS grade change and motor/pin prick/light touch score recovery. A trend towards improved motor scores with early surgery was not statistically significant (p = 0.21). Although there is data that surgery within 24 h of injury improves outcomes and can be performed safely, there remain variations in care outside of clinical trials. In the present study of cervical SCI, NACTN achieved its goal of early surgery in 73.4% of patients from 2005-2019 who arrived within 24 h of their injury. Variability in achieving this goal was related to severity of neurological injury, the day of the week, and the treating NACTN center. Evaluating variations within our network improves understanding of potential systemic limitations and our decision-making process to accomplish the goal of early surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Neal
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth G Toups
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Shekar N Kurpad
- Neuroscience Institute. the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Bizhan Aarabi
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - James S Harrop
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles H Tator
- Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert G Grossman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - James D Guest
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
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50
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Vedantam A, Ugiliweneza B, Williamson T, Guest JD, Harrop JS, Tator CH, Aarabi BA, Fehlings MG, Kurpad SN, Neal CJ. Evolving Profile of Acute Spinal Cord Injury Demographics, Outcomes, and Surgical Treatment in North America: Analysis of a Prospective Multi-Center Dataset of 989 Patients. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1948-1958. [PMID: 36448585 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in demography and injury patterns have altered the profile and outcome of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) over time. This study sought to describe recent trends in epidemiology and early clinical outcomes using the multi-center North American Clinical Trial Network (NACTN) for Spinal Cord Injury Registry. All participants with blunt acute traumatic SCI (n = 782) were grouped into three five-year time intervals from 2005 to 2019 (2005-2009, 2010-2014, and 2015-2019). Baseline demographics, clinical scores, medical co-morbidities, as well as early clinical outcomes were extracted. Categorical and continuous variables were analyzed to determine between-group differences. Subgroup analysis was performed for participants <50 and ≥50 years of age. Over the duration of the study period, there was an increase in age at presentation (p = 0.0077) as well as a greater incidence of falls as the mechanism of injury. Participants who were ≥50 years of age were more likely to sustain incomplete SCI (<0.0003) and central cord syndrome (< 0.0001). In the most recent period (2015-2019), a greater proportion of NACTN participants underwent surgery within 24 h of injury (63% vs. 41% vs. 41%, p = 0.0001). There was a statistically significant increase in cardiac complications (p < 0.0001) and decrease in pulmonary complications (p < 0.0001) during the study period. Data from the NACTN registry shows that the age of participants with acute SCI is increasing, falls have become the major mechanism of injury, and central cord injury is becoming increasingly prevalent. While early surgical intervention for acute SCI is more common in recent years, cardiac complications are more prevalent while pulmonary complications are less prevalent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Vedantam
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Theresa Williamson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James D Guest
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - James S Harrop
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pensylvania, USA
| | - Charles H Tator
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, USA
| | - Bizhan A Aarabi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, USA
| | - Shekar N Kurpad
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Chris J Neal
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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