Incidence of fractures in a cohort of veterans with chronic multiple sclerosis or traumatic spinal cord injury

Logan WC Jr, Sloane R, Lyles KW, Goldstein B, Hoenig HM. Incidence of fractures in a cohort of veterans with chronic multiple sclerosis or traumatic spinal cord injury.

Objective

To measure skeletal fractures in a cohort of veterans with spinal cord dysfunction (SCD) due to multiple sclerosis (MS) or trauma-related spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design

Retrospective cohort analysis.

Setting

Database search.

Participants

Study subjects were a subset of the 1996 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National Spinal Cord Dysfunction Registry, from which 8150 patients were identified with either MS (n=1789) or SCI (n=6361). Inpatient and outpatient encounters for nonaxial fractures, based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes, were identified through VHA administrative databases between October 1996 and June 2005. VHA Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem death file identified time of death.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Data from the 1996 VHA National Spinal Cord Dysfunction Registry survey was used to determine duration of disease and motor impairment (4 categories of motor impairment based on self-report of the number of limbs involved and degree of motor loss). Proportional hazard modeling evaluated the time to first fracture and Poisson regression evaluated relative risk (RR) of fracture by cause of SCD and degree of motor impairment, adjusting for age, sex, race, and duration of SCD.

Results

Subjects were, on average, 52.5 years of age, acquired their SCD 22 years prior, and 386 of 8150 were deceased. During the study period, 4021 fracture encounters were identified representing 1738 unique fractures for 1085 of 7832 subjects, for a mean per-person fracture rate of 3.1 per 100 patient-years at risk. The RR of fracture differed according to cause of SCD and motor impairment. Fracture risk was increased by more than 2-fold in those with some motor impairment (RR=2.33, P<.001), by more than 80% with moderate motor impairment (RR=1.87, P<.001), and almost 70% for those with severe motor impairment (RR=1.67, P<.001), compared with those with little motor impairment. Trauma-related SCI increased the RR of fracture 80% (RR=1.82, P<.001) compared with MS.

Conclusions

Persons with SCD have high rates of skeletal fractures. The highest fracture rates occurred in those with some to moderate motor impairment. There were significant differences in risk of fracture according to causal disease, controlling for motor impairment and duration. There appear to be unique contributors to risk of fracture beyond simply disuse.     

Thiazide Use Is Associated With Reduced Risk for Incident Lower Extremity Fractures in Men With Spinal Cord Injury

Objective

To determine the association between thiazide use and lower extremity fractures in patients who are men with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design

Cohort study from fiscal years 2002 to 2007.

Setting

Medical centers.

Participants

Men (N=6969) with an SCI from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Spinal Cord Dysfunction (SCD) Registry, including 1433 users of thiazides and 5536 nonusers of thiazides.

Intervention

Thiazide use versus nonuse.

Main Outcome Measure

Incident lower extremity fractures.

Results

Among the men, 21% in the VA SCD Registry (fiscal years 2002–2007) included in these analyses used thiazide diuretics. There were 832 incident lower extremity fractures over the time period of this study: 110 fractures (7.7%) in 1433 thiazide users and 722 fractures (13%) in 5536 nonusers of thiazides. In unadjusted and adjusted models alike, thiazide use was associated with at least a one-quarter risk reduction in lower extremity fracture at any given point in time (unadjusted: hazard ratio (HR)=.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), .59–.94; adjusted: HR=.74; 95% CI, .58–.95).

Conclusions

Thiazide use is common in men with SCI and is associated with a decreased likelihood for lower extremity fractures.     

Differences in cause of death of Washington State veterans who did and did not use Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare services

Relatively little is known about the cause of death in the veteran population, although more is known about the cause of death in Vietnam veterans or veterans receiving mental health services. This article compares characteristics and causes of death in Washington State veterans who did and did not use Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare services in the 5 years prior to death. This study included 62,080 veterans who died between 1998 and 2002, of whom 21% were users of VA healthcare services. The veterans who used VA healthcare services were younger, more often men, less educated, more often divorced, and more often smokers than the veterans who did not use VA healthcare services. Both female and male veterans who used VA healthcare services were more likely to die from drug- and/or alcohol-related causes. These findings suggest that the VA patient population is socially disadvantaged and more severely affected by substance-use disorders compared with veterans who do not use VA healthcare services.     

Evaluating the Use of Medicare Part D in the Veteran Population With Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder

Objective

To examine the different sources of medications, the most common drug classes filled, and the characteristics associated with Medicare Part D pharmacy use in veterans with spinal cord injury/disorder (SCI/D).

Problems of veterans spinal cord injured after age 55: nursing implications

During the past 24 months, 35 veterans 55 years of age or older with new spinal cord injuries have been admitted to the Spinal Cord Injury Service at the Veterans Administration Edward Hines, Jr. Hospital, Hines, Ill. Treatment and rehabilitation of these elderly spinal cord-injured (SCI) veterans present problems different from those of younger veterans. Case presentations identify problems related to older veterans with new spinal cord injuries. Implications for nurses are identified. Recommendations are made concerning the need to develop collaborative relationships within the hospital and liaison relationships with nurses in community agencies to meet the needs of this population.     

脊髓损伤患者盆底表面肌电与肠功能的相关性研究

目的探讨脊髓损伤(SCI)患者盆底表面肌电(sEMG)值与国际SCI 数据集肠功能基础数据集问卷调查指标的相关性,为SCI 患者水疗项目的选择提供依据。方法根据美国脊柱损伤协会(ASIA)2006 年颁发的SCI 神经学分类国际标准,将180 例残损分级为A级、B级、C级和D级的SCI 受试者分别分成A组、B组、C组和D组。应用标准的Glazer 盆底sEMG评估方案及设备,对患者进行肛门括约肌sEMG值的测定,同时进行国际SCI 数据集肠功能基础数据集——数据表的问卷调查。结果Glazer 评估中各个收缩阶段的盆底sEMG检测值与SCI 肠功能问卷调查中的便意、主要排便方法、平均排便时间、便失禁的次数、需要外用衬垫或塞子5 项指标之间存在相关性(P<0.05),各个收缩阶段的盆底sEMG 检测值也与SCI 残损分级之间存在相关性(P<0.01)。结论Glazer 盆底sEMG评估与国际SCI 数据集肠功能基础数据集的问卷调查对SCI 患者水疗项目的选择具有一定的参考意义。     

Excess mortality associated with mental illness and substance use disorders among veteran clinic users with spinal cord injury

Purpose.?Among veterans with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) or disease aetiologies, examine the association between diagnosed mental illness (MI) and substance use disorders (SUD) on mortality after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors, SCI severity, injury duration and chronic physical illnesses.

Method.?Longitudinal analysis of Veteran Health Administration(VHA) administrative data and Medicare claims for FY 1999–2004 matched with Spinal Cord Dysfunction-Registry (SCD-R) of VHA clinic users (N == 8334) with SCI. SCI was identified through SCD-R; individual MIs (anxiety, bipolar, depressive disorders, psychoses, post-traumatic disorder and schizophrenia) and SUDs (tobacco, alcohol and/or drug) were identified through ICD-9-CM codes. Cox-proportional hazards regressions were used to examine association between MI and SUD and time to death in years.

Results.?Among veterans with SCI, 17%% died by the end of FY 2004. Veterans with psychosis (35%%), depression (22%%) and alcohol and/or drug use (20%%) had significantly higher rates of mortality compared to those without these diagnoses. After adjusting for other independent variables in the study, hazards ratios for psychosis was 1.47 (95%%CI == 1.24, 1.75), for alcohol and/or drug use was 1.30 (95%% CI == 1.11, 1.53).

Conclusions.?Some types of MI and SUD were associated with excess mortality among veterans with SCI. Care for MI and SUD needs to be routinely integrated into SCI management. Future research is needed to determine whether depression and SUD treatment provides opportunity to improve survival.     

Patient satisfaction and use of Veterans Affairs versus non-Veterans Affairs healthcare services by veterans

OBJECTIVES: Chronically ill patients who are not satisfied with their care may change healthcare providers or systems, which could disrupt continuity of care and impede management of their conditions. We examined whether patient satisfaction affected subsequent use of non-Veterans Affairs (VA) services among chronically ill veterans discharged from VA hospitals. METHODS: The data used in this study came from a multicenter trial of increased access to primary care. We enrolled patients with diabetes, heart failure, and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were discharged from 1 of 9 VA medical centers. At baseline, we assessed satisfaction using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire. VA and non-VA utilization over the subsequent 6 months were assessed using VA and Medicare administrative data, non-VA billing data, and patient interviews. Using multivariable logistic regression analyses, we examined whether baseline patient satisfaction was associated with non-VA inpatient or outpatient utilization during the next 6 months. We conducted the same analysis for Medicare-eligible veterans, a group with better access to non-VA care. RESULTS: Of 1375 study patients, 174 (13%) used non-VA healthcare. Patients with non-VA utilization were older and lived farther from a VA. The odds of non-VA use decreased by 11% as satisfaction increased (odds ratio 0.89; 95% confidence interval 0.83-0.97; P = 0.005). This relationship was strongest among Medicare-eligible veterans (odds ratio 0.85; 95% confidence interval 0.77-0.93; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dissatisfied veterans discharged from the hospital were more likely to go outside VA for care. Thus, improvements in patient satisfaction may lead to improvements in continuity of care.     

脊髓独立性评定及其第3版介绍

功能能力评定是脊髓损伤患者功能结局评定的主要项目之一。目前常用评定脊髓损伤患者功能能力的量表有Bar-thel指数、修订Barthel指数、功能独立性评定、脊髓独立性评定、脊髓损伤步行指数等。其中,脊髓独立性评定是为评价脊髓损伤患者的功能能力而专门设计的量表,已经过两次修订和国际多中心试验验证,具有良好的信度、效度和灵敏性,可适用于不同文化背景下的脊髓损伤患者的功能能力评定。但该评定方法也存在一定的局限性,需要进一步完善。     

Poster 30: Receipt of depression diagnoses in the veteran spinal cord injuries and disorders population

Objectives: To examine (1) the frequency of hospitalizations and outpatient visits for depression in spinal cord injury (SCI) and disorders (SCD) and (2) the association between patient characteristics and the receipt of a depression diagnosis. Design: Retrospective study of administrative data. Setting: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, October 1, 1998 to September 30, 2001 (fiscal year 1999-2001). Participants: Subjects were selected from a cumulative VA registry based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition codes for SCI and SCD. All subjects in the registry with any VA utilization during the study time period were included. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Frequency of hospitalizations and visits with a depression diagnosis; and frequency of other diagnoses with depression. Results: Approximately 20% (n=4177) of the veterans with SCI and SCD had at least 1 encounter with a depression diagnosis; 8% (n=1727) had at least 1 hospitalization; and 16% (n=3299) had at least 1 outpatient encounter. In the regression analysis, being younger (OR=1.98), female (OR=0.49), white (OR=1.36), having chronic renal disease (OR=1.00), chronic pulmonary disease (OR=1.60), coronary artery disease (OR=1.57), diabetes (OR=1.40), or a hospitalization for a skin (OR=1.10) or kidney problem (OR=1.24), or drug use (OR=7.18) significantly increased the odds of having a depression diagnosis. Conclusions: Demographic characteristics, including age, gender, and race, and health status characteristics such as the presence of chronic diseases, were associated with the likelihood of receipt of a depression diagnosis. These findings could result from differences in depression prevalence between groups and/or could occur because some groups are more likely to be screened. This study is the basis for additional work to examine outcomes of antidepressant use in the VA population with SCI and SCD.     

Quality of life after spinal cord injury caused by gunshot.

OBJECTIVE: To determine what effect gunshot-caused spinal cord injury (SCI) has on self-reported quality of life (QOL) and on the frequency of pain sufficient to interfere with day-to-day activities. DESIGN: Follow-up, case-control design. SETTING: Analysis of data obtained from the (US) National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center from 18 funded Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with traumatic onset SCI (n = 1901). From these, 111 persons with gunshot-caused SCI were matched to persons with nongunshot SCI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART), Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), and an individual pain item from the SF-12. RESULTS: No between-group differences were found on any of the QOL outcome measures. In contrast, those with SCI caused by gunshot reported that pain more frequently interfered with day-to-day activities than the matched comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: SCI caused by gunshot appears largely unrelated to QOL, after controlling for demographic and medical characteristics associated with this group. Gunshot as a mechanism of SCI may place individuals at an increased risk of subsequent development of pain that interferes with activities of daily living.     

Gait training in human spinal cord injury using electromechanical systems: effect of device type and patient characteristics

Benito-Penalva J, Edwards DJ, Opisso E, Cortes M, Lopez-Blazquez R, Murillo N, Costa U, Tormos JM, Vidal-Samsó J, Valls-Solé J, European Multicenter Study about Human Spinal Cord Injury Study Group, Medina J. Gait training in human spinal cord injury using electromechanical systems: effect of device type and patient characteristics.ObjectiveTo report the clinical improvements in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients associated with intensive gait training using electromechanical systems according to patient characteristics.DesignProspective longitudinal study.SettingInpatient SCI rehabilitation center.ParticipantsAdults with SCI (n=130).InterventionPatients received locomotor training with 2 different electromechanical devices, 5 days per week for 8 weeks.Main Outcome MeasuresLower-extremity motor score, Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury, and 10-meter walking test data were collected at the baseline, midpoint, and end of the program. Patients were stratified according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) category, time since injury, and injury etiology. A subgroup of traumatic ASIA grade C and D patients were compared with data obtained from the European Multicenter Study about Human Spinal Cord Injury (EM-SCI).ResultsOne hundred and five patients completed the program. Significant gains in lower-limb motor function and gait were observed for both types of electromechanical device systems, to a similar degree. The greatest rate of improvement was shown in the motor incomplete SCI patients, and for patients <6 months postinjury. The positive response associated with training was not affected by injury etiology, age, sex, or lesion level. The trajectory of improvement was significantly enhanced relative to patients receiving the conventional standard of care without electromechanical systems (EM-SCI).ConclusionsThe use of electromechanical systems for intensive gait training in SCI is associated with a marked improvement in lower-limb motor function and gait across a diverse range of patients and is most evident in motor incomplete patients, and for patients who begin the regimen early in the recovery process.     

Cost-Effectiveness of Supported Employment for Veterans With Spinal Cord Injuries

Objective

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of a supported employment (SE) intervention that had been previously found effective in veterans with spinal cord injuries (SCIs).

Design

Cost-effectiveness analysis, using cost and quality-of-life data gathered in a trial of SE for veterans with SCI.

Setting

SCI centers in the Veterans Health Administration.

Participants

Subjects (N=157) who completed a study of SE in 6 SCI centers. Subjects were randomly assigned to the intervention of SE (n=81) or treatment as usual (n=76).

Intervention

A vocational rehabilitation program of SE for veterans with SCI.

Main Outcome Measures

Costs and quality-adjusted life years, which were estimated from the Veterans Rand 36-Item Health Survey, extrapolated to Veterans Rand 6 Dimension utilities.

Results

Average cost for the SE intervention was $1821. In 1 year of follow-up, estimated total costs, including health care utilization and travel expenses, and average quality-adjusted life years were not significantly different between groups, suggesting the Spinal Cord Injury Vocational Integration Program intervention was not cost-effective compared with usual care.

Conclusions

An intensive program of SE for veterans with SCI, which is more effective in achieving competitive employment, is not cost-effective after 1 year of follow-up. Longer follow-up and a larger study sample will be necessary to determine whether SE yields benefits and is cost-effective in the long run for a population with SCI.     

Audiometric thresholds and prevalence of tinnitus among male veterans in the United States: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2006

Hearing loss and tinnitus are the two most prevalent service-connected disabilities among U.S. veterans. The number of veterans receiving compensation and services from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for these conditions continues to increase annually. However, the majority of veterans in the United States do not use VA medical centers or clinics for healthcare and do not receive VA compensation payments. Therefore, the prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus among U.S. veterans is unknown. This study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to estimate the prevalence of these auditory conditions among male veterans. Between 1999 and 2006, pure tone audiometric data collected from 845 male veterans were compared with pure tone thresholds collected from 2,086 male nonveterans. We used questionnaire data collected between 1999 and 2004 to calculate and compare the prevalence of tinnitus for 2,174 veterans and 4,995 nonveterans. In general, pure tone thresholds did not differ significantly between veterans and nonveterans for most frequencies tested (500-8,000 Hz). The overall prevalence of tinnitus was greater for veterans than that for nonveterans (p < 0.001), with statistically significant differences in the 50 to 59 and 60 to 69 age groups.     

Effectiveness of supported employment for veterans with spinal cord injuries: results from a randomized multisite study

Ottomanelli L, Goetz LL, Suris A, McGeough C, Sinnott PL, Toscano R, Barnett SD, Cipher DJ, Lind LM, Dixon TM, Holmes SA, Kerrigan AJ, Thomas FP. Effectiveness of supported employment for veterans with spinal cord injuries: results from a randomized multisite study.ObjectiveTo examine whether supported employment (SE) is more effective than treatment as usual (TAU) in returning veterans to competitive employment after spinal cord injury (SCI).DesignProspective, randomized, controlled, multisite trial of SE versus TAU for vocational issues with 12 months of follow-up data.SettingSCI centers in the Veterans Health Administration.ParticipantsSubjects (N=201) were enrolled and completed baseline interviews. In interventional sites, subjects were randomly assigned to the SE condition (n=81) or the TAU condition (treatment as usual–interventional site [TAU-IS], n=76). In observational sites where the SE program was not available, 44 subjects were enrolled in a nonrandomized TAU condition (treatment as usual–observational site [TAU-OS]).InterventionsThe intervention consisted of an SE vocational rehabilitation program called the Spinal Cord Injury Vocational Integration Program, which adhered as closely as possible to principles of SE as developed and described in the individual placement and support model of SE for persons with mental illness.Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary study outcome measurement was competitive employment in the community.ResultsSubjects in the SE group were 2.5 times more likely than the TAU-IS group and 11.4 times more likely than the TAU-OS group to obtain competitive employment.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first and only controlled study of a specific vocational rehabilitation program to report improved employment outcomes for persons with SCI. SE, a well-prescribed method of integrated vocational care, was superior to usual practices in improving employment outcomes for veterans with SCI.     

Neurologic recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury: data from the Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems

OBJECTIVE: To present data on neurologic recovery gathered by the Model Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Systems over a 10-year period. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Twenty-one Model SCI Systems. PATIENTS: A total of 3,585 individuals with traumatic SCI admitted between January 1, 1988 and December 31, 1997. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neurologic impairment category; Frankel grade; American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) grade; motor score. RESULTS: SCI caused by violence is more likely than SCI from nonviolent etiologies to result in a complete injury. Changes in severity of injury were similar using the older Frankel scale and the newer ASIA Impairment Scale. Individuals who were motor-complete with extended zones of sensory preservation but without sacral sparing were less likely to convert to motor-incomplete status than those with sacral sparing (13.3% vs 53.6%; p < .001). Motor score improvements at 1 year were related to severity of injury, with greater increases for better AIS grades except grade D, because of ceiling effects. Individuals with AIS grade B injuries have a mixed prognosis. CONCLUSION: Neurologic recovery after SCI is influenced by etiology and severity of injury. Multicenter studies on prognostic features such as preserved pin sensation in grade B injuries may identify subgroups with similar recovery patterns. Identification of such groups would facilitate clinical trials for neurologic recovery in acute SCI.     

Who pays when VA users are hospitalized in the private sector? Evidence from three data sources

BACKGROUND: Older veterans enrolled in VA healthcare receive much of their medical care in the private sector, through Medicare. Less is known about younger VA enrollees' use of the private sector, or its funding. We compare payers for younger and older enrollees' private sector use in 3 hospitalization datasets. RESEARCH DESIGN: From 1998 to 2000, using private sector discharge data for VA enrollees in New York State, we categorized hospitalizations according to payer (self/family, private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, other sources). We compared this payer distribution to population-weighted national Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 1996-2003 for veterans in VA healthcare. We also compared Medicare utilization in either dataset to hospitalizations for New York veterans from 1998-2000 in the VA-Medicare dataset. Analyses separated patients younger than age 65 from those age 65 or older. RESULTS: VA enrollees under age 65 obtain roughly half their hospitalizations in the private sector; older enrollees use the private sector at least twice as often as the VA. Datasets generally agree on payer distributions. Although older enrollees rely heavily on Medicare, they also use commercial insurance and self/family payments substantially. Half of younger enrollees' non-VA hospitalizations are paid by private insurance, but Medicare, Medicaid, and self/family each pay for one-quarter to one-third of admissions. CONCLUSIONS: VA enrollees use the private sector for most of their inpatient care, which is funded by multiple sources. Developing a national UB-92/VA dataset would be critical to understanding veterans' use of the private sector for specific diagnoses and procedures, particularly for the fast growing population of younger veterans.     

Functional motor preservation below the level of injury in subjects with American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade A spinal cord injuries

Zariffa J, Curt A, for the EMSCI Study Group, Steeves JD. Functional motor preservation below the level of injury in subjects with American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade A spinal cord injuries.ObjectiveTo assess how frequently subjects with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) classified as American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade A have substantial preserved motor function below the neurologic level of injury, despite having no preserved sensory or motor function at the S4-5 spinal cord segment.DesignAnalysis of the European Multicenter Study about Spinal Cord Injury database to determine how frequently subjects assessed as AIS A would have been AIS D based on motor scores alone (ie, had scores of ≥3 in at least half of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury [ISNCSCI] key muscles below the neurologic level of injury, despite having no sacral sparing).SettingEighteen European centers.ParticipantsIndividuals with traumatic SCI at any level (total of 2557 assessments).InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasureISNCSCI assessments.ResultsOver the first year after SCI (with assessments at approximately 1, 4, 12, 24, and 48wk) and for all rostrocaudal levels of injury, only 3.2% of AIS A assessments were found to meet the AIS D motor score criteria. The percentage was highest for lumbar (16.3%) and lower thoracic (4.4%) SCI. No trends were observed across time points.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the low frequency of individuals with an AIS A classification and high levels of motor function are not a significant concern in subject recruitment for clinical trials, unless the level of SCI is within the lumbar cord.     

国际脊髓损伤数据集:疼痛基础数据集

慢性疼痛足降低脊髓损伤患者生活质量的最常见原因之一。目前仍缺乏统一的收集疼痛数据的标准方法。采用统一的办法收集脊髓损伤患行的疼痛信息将有利于疼痛产生机制的研究及治疗结果的比较。本文旨在通过设立疼痛基础数据集来对脊髓损伤患者疼痛信息的收集和报告标准化。文中对数据集的变量进行了详细说明,并通过3个训练案例解释如何填写基础数据集表。