Model Systems Researchers Present at 2014 ACRM Conference

A host of TBI and SCI model system researchers recently presented at the 91st Annual ACRM Conference in Toronto, Canada on October 7-11. View the presentation highlights below.

Dr. Allen Heinemann, Ph.D., co-director of the Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System (MRSCICS), delivered five presentations: "How to get Published: Authorship, Reporting Guidelines, Reviewing in Medical Rehabilitation”, “Developing and Reporting Research Evidence That Makes a Difference in Systematic Reviews”, “Environmental Factors Item Development for Persons with Stroke, TBI, and SCI”, “Developing Outcomes Data Management and Reporting Capacity for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Programs”, & “Mediating Entities in the Knowledge Transition Cycle as Catalysts for Organizational Change”.

Dr. Anne Deutsch, RN, PhD, CRRN, director of the SCI Database for the Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System (MRSCICS), lead the instructional course Ensuring the Delivery of High-Quality Fall Prevention: How Rehabilitation Professionals Engage in Quality Improvement. Dr. Deutsch also delivered multiple presentations during the symposium: Navigating US Post-Acute Care Policy: Where Do I Begin?, “The Role of Research in Reimbursement”, and Best Practices for Reporting Rehabilitation Research.

Hannah Mercier, MS, OTR/L presented an analysis of the New England Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center’s (NERSCIC) study, Care Call. The presentation," Differential impact and use of a telehealth intervention by persons with MS or SCI," examined differences between Care Call samples participants with multiple sclerosis (MS) or spinal cord injury (SCI) on demographic and clinical characteristics, patterns of engaging with Care Call, and outcomes of depression severity, skin integrity, healthcare access and utilization, and participation. Her analysis extends previous research revealing that this intervention can improve depression for adults with MS and SCI, and enhance healthcare access and physical independence for those with MS.

Yuying Chen, MD, PhD, director of the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) presented "Spinal cord injury epidemiology: global perspective, implications for best practice," for the symposium titled “The World Health Organization’s International Perspectives on Spinal Cord Injury Report: Implications." She also presented " Geographic variation and environmental risk factors for kidney stones after spinal cord injury," for the symposium titled “Environment Matters: Contribution of Geographic Data to Understanding Spinal Cord Injury Incidence and Rehabilitation Outcomes“

SCI Model System Researchers Present at the International Spinal Cord Society Meeting (ISCoS)

A host of SCI model systems researchers participated in the 53rd International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) Annual Scientific Meeting held September 2nd -4th in MECC, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Below is a list of model systems researchers that participated in the conference.

 

• Dr. Allen Heinemann, Ph.D., co-director of the Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System (MRSCICS), gave a presentation entitled Development and evaluation of environmental factor instruments for use following spinal cord injury. Additionally, Dr. Heinemann presented the poster Patient-centered care in individuals with spinal cord injury/ disorders. The poster detailed a collaborative project between research scientists from The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and the Department of Veteran Affairs.

• Dr. Denise Tate, project director of the University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System (UM-SCIMS)  presented data on a project related to neurogenic bowel and bladder and discussed ways of integrating assessments of bowel and bladder management as well as impact on quality of life during a workshop on new measurements for SCI care. The plan is for these measures to be integrated with the patient’s electronic medical records so doctors have access to them before they see the SCI patient and thus can use their time more efficiently to address treatment. The University of Michigan uses MiChart as the electronic medical record system which allows doctors to put their information directly into these records. Patients have access to their patient portals to communicate with their providers of care. Dr. Tate also attended the consumer workshop on peer mentoring services by several international organizations and how these services can help improve the quality of life of persons with SCI around the world.

• The presentations from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System (UAB SCIMS)  and National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC):

1. Chen Y, Tang Y, McLain AB, Iezzoni LI. Current pregnancy among women with spinal cord injury. Poster presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the International Spinal Cord Society, MECC, Maastricht, The Netherlands, September 2-4, 2014.

2. McLain AB, Chen Y, Lloyd LK, Alexander MS. The use of neurologic examination to predict awareness and control of lower urinary tract function post spinal cord injury. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Spinal Cord Society, MECC, Maastricht, The Netherlands, September 2-4, 2014.

SCI Model Systems Featured in Three Publications

Researchers from the University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System (UM-SCIMS), Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System (MRSCIS), Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury System (NNJSCIMS), Northwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center (NWRSCIS) and Southeastern Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System collaborated on publications featured in Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. View publications and abstracts below:

1. Tate D and Forchheimer M. Review of Cross-Cultural Issues Related to Quality of Life After Spinal Cord Injury. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation. 2014 SUM; 20(3):181-190

Researchers from University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System (UM-SCIMS). Access the abstract here.

2. Wong, A.W.K., Heinemann, A.W., Wilson, C.S., Neumann, H., Fann, J.R., Tate, D.G., Forchheimer, M., Richards, J.S., Bombardier, C.H. Predictors of participation enfranchisement after spinal cord injury: The mediating role of depression and moderating role of demographic and injury characteristics(2014) Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 95 (6), pp. 1106-1113.

Researchers from University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System (UM-SCIMS), Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System (MRSCIS), and Northwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center (NWRSCIS) . Access the abstract here.

3. Kirshblum, S.C., Biering-Sørensen, F., Betz, R., Burns, S., Donovan, W., Graves, D.E., Johansen, M., Jones, L., Mulcahey, M.J., Rodriguez, G.M., Schmidt-Read, M., Steeves, J.D., Tansey, K., Waring, W. International standards for neurological classification of spinal cord injury: Cases with classification challenges (2014) Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 20 (2), pp. 81-89.

Researchers from University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System (UM-SCIMS) and Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury System (NNJSCIMS). Access the abstract here.

SCI Model System Research Recently Featured in Symposium and Publications

Model system researchers from Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System (MRSCICS) presented Physical Interventions to Maximize Motor Recovery following Spinal Cord Injury at the Fourth Annual Spinal Cord Injury Symposium: Contemporary Trends in Spinal Cord Injury Management. The conference was held in Baltimore, MD on June 16, 2014. In addition, MRSCICS work appeared in four publications:

• “Potential Feasibility of High Intensity, Variable Stepping Practice in Individuals Across Neurological Disorders”, Consortium for Multiple Sclerosis Centers, Annual Conference, Dallas, TX, May 2014 

• Kim HE, Thompson CK, Hornby TG. Muscle activation varies with contraction mode in human spinal cord injury. Muscle Nerve. 2014 May 13. doi: 10.1002/mus.24285. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24825184. Access the abstract here. 

• Leech KA, Kinnaird CR, Hornby TG. Effects of serotonergic medications on locomotor performance in humans with incomplete spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma. 2014 Apr 17. [Epub ahead of print] Access the abstract here. 

• Jayaraman A, Thompson CK, Rymer WZ, Hornby TG. Short-term maximal-intensity resistance training increases volitional function and strength in chronic incomplete spinal cord injury: a pilot study. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2013 Sep;37(3):112-7. PMID: 23673372. Access the abstract here.

Model Systems Researchers Will Present and Receive Awards at the American Spinal Injury Association Annual Meeting

A host of SCI model systems researchers will participate in the 2014 American Spinal Injury Association Annual Meeting (ASIA) in San Antonio, Texas from May 14–17, 2014. Michael J DeVivo, DrPH, Director Emeritus of the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) will receive the 2014 ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award for his professional achievements and contributions to the advancement of the field of rehabilitation. Additionally, numerous model systems researchers will present papers and deliver lectures to advance the field of spinal cord injury. Information about these presentations can be found in the preliminary conference program. 

Former SCI Model Systems Project Director Recently Honored

Samuel Stover, MD, the former project director (1972-1994) of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System, was recently honored by the PM&R journal as “an early leader in the field of spinal cord injury care in the United States.“ Dr. Stover was “instrumental in the establishment and growth of the Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SCIMS) of Care program in the United States”. He also chaired the first committee of the American Spinal Injury Association Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI in 1980. The article titled “Dr. Samuel Stover: Promoting health and Participation Through Leadership in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine” was published by the PM&R in 2013, Volume 5, pages 809-815. View the article here.