The association between bladder-emptying methods and health-related quality of life among Iranian individuals with spinal cord injury

Objectives: In this study, we compared the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) using different bladder emptying methods including normal spontaneous micturition (NSM), micturition with assisted maneuvers (MAM), aseptic intermittent catheterization by patient (IC-P), aseptic IC by an attendant/caregiver (IC-A) and indwelling catheterization.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Tertiary rehabilitation center.

Participants: Patients referred to Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center between 2012 and 2014.

Outcome measures: HRQoL was assessed by Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Hierarchical regression analysis with adjustment for probable confounders (demographic and injury-related variables) was performed to assess the relationship between bladder-emptying method and total SF-36 score.

Results: Patients with injury at cervical sections had significantly lower scores in domain of physical functioning (PF), physical component summary (PCS) and total score (P: 0.001, <0.0001 and 0.027, respectively). Longer time since injury was associated with better scores of PCS, Mental component summary (MCS) and total score (P: 0.002, <0.0001 and 0.003, respectively). Regression analysis showed that the effect of bladder-emptying method on total score of SF-36 was significant (P < 0.0001) and this relationship remained significant after adjustment for probable confounders in the second step of hierarchical regression analysis (R: 0.923, R²: 0.852, Adjusted R²: 0.847, P?<?0.0001). Patients with NSM had the highest scores in SF-36 instrument and individuals with indwelling catheterization had the poorest HRQoL in all domains.

Conclusion: This study shows that the type of bladder management method affects HRQoL significantly in patients with SCI. Intermittent catheterization are recommended to be administered instead of indwelling catheterization to improve HRQoL.     

Critical flicker frequency and related symptoms in mild traumatic brain injury

Primary objective: To determine whether critical flicker frequency (CFF) thresholds are abnormal in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and, if so, if they are correlated with the degree of reported motion and light sensitivity.

Methods and procedures: The foveal CFF threshold was assessed in individuals with mild TBI (n = 18) having varying degrees of reported light and motion sensitivity. Mean CFF values were obtained using the ascending and descending psychophysical method of limits with binocular viewing at 40 cm. A 7-item, rating-scale questionnaire was used to assess the degree of light and motion sensitivity. These parameters were also assessed in a large visually-normal, non-TBI cohort.

Main outcomes and results: CFF in the mild TBI group was not significantly different across age groups from the visually-normal, non-TBI cohort. However, mean CFF among the mild TBI subjects was significantly higher for the 'light sensitive' and 'motion sensitive' sub-groups when compared to the 'not light sensitive' and 'not motion sensitive' sub-groups. The majority of TBI subjects manifested both light and motion sensitivity.

Conclusion: CFF was found to be related to the reported degree of light and motion sensitivity in individuals with mild TBI. Neurological disinhibition as a result of brain injury may be causal of the subjective hypersensitivity to light and motion in the presence of normal CFF.     

Subjective well-being and quality of life following traumatic brain injury in adults: a long-term population-based follow-up

Primary objective: To assess subjective well-being and quality-of-life in nationally representative samples of patients at long intervals following traumatic brain injuries.

Methods and procedures: Patients with either cranial fractures or cerebral lesions were identified in a national computer-based register of hospital admissions and random samples were selected among those who had suffered the injury at 5, 10 or 15 years prior to the follow-up. Postal questionnaires were sent to them covering quality of life, e.g. return to employment, family relations and current subjective well-being in terms of symptomatology, e.g. somatic complaints, cognitive dysfunction. A response rate of 76% was obtained, comprising 114 patients with cranial fracture and 126 with cerebral lesions.

Main outcomes and results: The group with cerebral lesions had markedly poorer quality of life and subjective well-being than the group with cranial fractures and this did not vary across time. In both groups, the most common symptoms concerned cognition. Among the cerebral lesion group, quality of life outcome was fairly well predicted by severity of injury, but subjective well-being was less well predicted.

Conclusions: The negative consequences of traumatic cerebral lesions are marked and do not vary at long periods following injury.     

冠状动脉旁路移植术后病人生存质量探讨

目的观察研究冠状动脉旁路移植（CABG）术病人术前、术后生存质量（QoL）。方法分为体外循环手术组（ONCAB）和非体外循环手术（OPCAB）组，于手术前1周内、术后3个月和6个月进行西雅图心绞痛调查表（SAQ）和SF-36量表的测评。结果SAQ各项内容评分，术前以心绞痛稳定状态（AS）得分最低，术后各项目有明显好转；SF-36的生理健康内容（PCS）和心理健康内容（MCS）在术后均有不同程度改善；ONCAB和OPCAB两组之间各纬度得分在术后3．6个月比较差异均无统计学意义。结论冠状动脉旁路移植术后病人生活质量提高。ONCAB和OPCAB组生存质量比较差异无统计学意义。     

Determining long-term symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury: method of interview affects self-report

Primary objective: To examine the role played by two interviewing methods used (spontaneous response and suggested response) in the evaluation of long-term subjective post-mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) symptoms.

Research design: Cohort study.

Method and procedures: One hundred and eight adult participants were contacted for a follow-up telephone interview 12-36 months after their mTBI. The participants had to firstly spontaneously indicate symptoms that were still present following their mTBI (spontaneous response). Secondly, a list of symptoms was read to the participants and they had to say whether or not they were afflicted by each symptom (suggested response). Paired t-tests were performed to compare the means obtained using the two methods. The percentage of symptoms reported with the two interviewing methods were used to analyse symptom types.

Experimental intervention: None.

Main outcomes and results: Results show that participants reported significantly more symptoms and a given symptom when a list was read to the participants. Furthermore, neither the number of symptoms nor the type of symptoms reported is identical for the two interviewing methods.

Conclusion: The interviewing method used influences the number and type of long-term post-mTBI symptoms reported by participants.     

Extracellular glycerol in patients with severe traumatic brain injury

Objective： To study the factors affecting extracellular glycerol （Gly） in patients with severe traumatic brain injury （STBI）.
Methods： Perilesional extracellular Gly and cerebral blood flow （CBF） in 53 patients with STBI were consecutively monitored. Simultaneously, the intracranial pressure （ICP） and cerebral perfusion pressure （CCP） were monitored. The hourly minimum of CCP and CBF and the hourly maximum of ICP levels were matched with the hourly Gly. Gly values were divided into several groups according to regional ICP （〈 15 nun Hg or 〉 15 nun Hg）, CCP （〈70 nun Hg or 〉70 nun Hg）, CBF （〈50 AU or 50-150 AU） and the outcomes （death or persistent vegetative state group, severe or moderate disability group, and good recovery group）.
Results： In comparison with the severe or moderate disability group, the Gly concentration of the death or persistent vegetative state group increased significantly, but CBF and CCP decreased significantly. In comparison with the good recovery group, the Gly concentration of the severe or moderate disability group increased significantly, but CBF and CCP decreased significantly. The Gly concen- trations in patients with ICP〉15 mm Hg, CCP〈70 mm Hg and CBF〈50 AU were respectively higher than those of patients with ICP 〈15 mm Hg, CCP〉70 mm Hg and 50AU 〈CBF〈150AU. In patients with diffuse axial injury, the mean Gly concentration was （201.17±55.00） μmol/L, which was significantly higher than that of the patients with epidural hematoma （n=7, 73.26±8.37, P〈O.05） or subdural hematoma （n=9, 114.67 ±62.88, P〈O.05）, but it did not increase signifi- cantly when compared with those in patients with contusion （n=24, 167.48±52.63）.
Conclusion： Gly can be taken as a marker for degrada- tion of membrane phospholipids and ischemia, which reflects the severity of primary or secondary insult.     

The impact of enoxaparin administration in relationship to hemorrhage in mild traumatic brain injury

BackgroundVenous thromboembolism prophylaxis in the general trauma population is well established. However, risk of increased intracranial hemorrhage in traumatic brain injury (TBI) population is of concern. The aim for this study is to identify a reproducible model of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), evaluated by clinical and histological markers and test the hypothesis that enoxaparin increases the risk of spontaneous brain hemorrhage.Methods40 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups: group 1 (sham) with no TBI along with 4 groups comparing mTBI with and without pharmacological intervention using enoxaparin at 24 h and 72 h respectively. Mild traumatic brain injury was induced using a weight drop apparatus, with a clinical endpoint of time to right (TTR), along with histological and spectrophotometer analysis for qualitative hemorrhage.ResultsThere is a statistically significant difference between group 1 (sham) and all other groups with a mean longer time to right of 64 s (p = 0.005) in the mTBI groups. There was a statistically significant difference between group 1 (sham) and all other groups with an increase of 6 g/dL hemoglobin (p < 0.001) in the mTBI groups with no difference in hemorrhage between groups that were treated with enoxaparin.ConclusionThe weight drop apparatus is a reproducible model for mTBI that has correlations with clinical and qualitative data. This model was able to produce clinical signs of concussion, as reflected by longer TTR and increased hemoglobin in the mTBI groups. Upon further analysis, there wasno increase in hemorrhage in the pharmacological intervention groups with enoxaparin.     

综合康复护理对颅脑损伤患者神经恢复及生活质量影响的研究

目的：探讨综合康复护理对颅脑损伤患者神经恢复及生活质量的影响。方法选取2011年10月~2013年10月来我院治疗的443例颅脑损伤患者,按照入院的先后顺序分为两组,观察组222例,对照组221例,对照组实施常规康复功能锻炼,观察组实施综合康复护理,即在常规康复功能锻炼的基础上实施促醒护理。比较两组患者清醒时间、并发症发生率、NDF评分、生活质量评分。结果观察组清醒时间、并发症发生率、出院时观察组的NDF评分与对照组比较明显较低,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。观察组干预后生活质量量表的躯体功能、心理功能、社会功能及物质生活状态评分与对照组比较均显著升高,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论颅脑损伤患者实施常规康复功能锻炼及促醒护理在内的综合康复护理能降低并发症的发生率,缩短清醒时间,降低NDF评分,提高患者生活质量,临床效果显著。     

A multi-perspective concept mapping study of problems associated with traumatic brain injury

Objective: To develop a model of the problems of persons with traumatic brain injury that includes multiple perspectives as well as the multi-dimensional nature of the phenomena.

Design: Concept mapping, a multi-variate modelling strategy, was employed to produce an exhaustive inventory and concept map of TBI-related problems based on input from patients, family caregivers and professional providers.

Results: The eight-cluster concept map included the following dimensions: social competence, intimacy, behavioural, maturity/independence, neurophysiological, mood, executive functions and non-executive functions.

Conclusions: An underlying two-dimensional conceptual model of TBI problems is proposed with relevance for theory, practice and further research.     

炎性细胞因子与创伤性颅脑损伤的关系

近年的研究发现颅脑损伤后机体会出现炎性介质反应,炎性细胞因子虽可增强机体的抵抗力,促进组织的修复,也可因过度激活引起强烈的全身性炎性介质反应,反而加重继发性脑损伤,本文就炎性细胞因子与创伤性颅脑损伤关系研究进展综述如下.     

颅脑损伤患者血流动力学指标与住院转归相关性研究

目的:研究颅脑损伤（traumatic brain injury, TBI）患者EV1000血流动力学指标与住院转归的相关性,了解TBI患者术中血流动力学参数变化特点及EV1000血流动力学监测的临床意义。方法:回顾性分析首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院2018年2月—2019年12月于全身麻醉下行颅内血肿清除术的TBI患...     

Short-term DTI predictors of cognitive dysfunction in mild traumatic brain injury

Primary objective: To explore whether baseline diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics are predictive of cognitive functioning 6 months post-injury in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).

Research design: Seventeen patients with MTBI and 29 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were studied.

Methods and procedures: Participants underwent an MRI protocol including DTI, at an average of 4.0 (range: 1-10) days post-injury. Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured in the following white matter (WM) regions: centra semiovale, the genu and the splenium of the corpus callosum and the posterior limb of the internal capsule. Participants underwent neuropsychological (NP) testing at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Least squares regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of MD and FA with each NP test score at baseline and follow-up.

Main outcomes and results: Compared to controls, average MD was significantly higher (p = 0.02) and average FA significantly lower (p = 0.0001) in MTBI patients. At the follow-up, there was a trend toward a significant association between baseline MD and response speed (r = -0.53, p = 0.087) and a positive correlation between baseline FA and Prioritization form B (r = 0.72, p = 0.003).

Conclusions: DTI may provide short-term non-invasive predictive markers of cognitive functioning in patients with MTBI.     

宁夏地区不同人群腹膜透析患者生活质量及其影响因素

目的探讨宁夏地区不同人群腹膜透析患者生活质量及其影响因素,旨在为临床工作中如何提高透析患者的生存质量提供依据。方法①选择行规律持续非卧床腹膜透析（continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis,CAPD）治疗6个月以上的109例慢性肾衰竭患者。收集患者的民族、年龄、性别、原发病因、受教育程度、年均收入、透析时间、透析方案及体质量指数（body mass index,BMI）等资料。按民族分为回族组和汉族组。②采用肾脏疾病生活质量简表（Medical Outcomes Study Health Status ShortForm,SF-36）评估患者的生活质量。③采用肾脏病膳食改良实验（Modifi—cationofDietinRenalDisease,MDI①）方程估计算患者的肾小球滤过率,以评估患者的残余肾功能。④采用主观综合性营养评估（subjective global assessment,SGA）及白蛋白等指标评估患者营养状况。⑤采用Charlson合并症指数评估患者合并症情况。⑥检测患者血浆全段甲状旁腺素（intactparathy—roidhormone,iPTH）及血钙、血磷水平以评估患者的钙磷代谢状况。结果①回族组、汉族组患者在年龄、性别、原发病因、受教育程度、年均收入、透析时间、透析方案及Charlson合并症指数等均无统计学差异（P〉0．05）。②与汉族组比较,回族组患者血钙、白蛋白、三酰甘油、总胆固醇及肾小球滤过率明显降低,iPTH水平明显升高,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。③与汉族组比较,回族组的SGA评估的营养不良的发生率亦明显升高（47．5Z比24．6％）,有统计学差异（P〈O．05）。④与汉族组比较,回族组在SF-36评分[（52．90±20．68）比（42．78±19．46）]、生理健康评分[（53．27±22．91）比（39．47±20．22）]、精神健康评分E（58．30±22．68）比（46．10±22．76）]均明显下降,有统计学差异（P〈0．05）。⑤与汉族组比较,回族组在情感与精神状况[-（65．29±19．85）比（54．65±21．60）]和疼痛[（72．54±27．88）比（47．19±30．85）]两个维度评分也明显下降,均有统计学差异（P〈0．05）。⑥将2组存在差异的指标进行单因素相关分析及多元线性回归发现,不同人群和白蛋白水平与SF-36相关。结论回族、汉族腹膜透析患者生活质量SF-36、生理健康及精神健康存在一定的差异,回族患者明显低于汉族;白蛋白水平是影响患者生活质量的因素。     

颅脑外伤患者凝血功能异常与预后的相关性研究

目的了解颅脑外伤患者急性期凝血功能改变情况,并分析凝血功能异常与颅脑损伤程度（GCS评分）及预后（GOS评分）的关系。方法监测124例单纯颅脑外伤患者急性期凝血指标,进行DIC评分,对患者入院时颅脑损伤程度及外伤后6个月的临床预后进行评分。结果超过50%的单纯颅脑外伤患者发生凝血功能异常,其中重型颅脑外伤患者及预后不良的颅脑外伤患者PT明显延长,D-DT水平明显升高,其差异具有显著性。结论凝血功能改变,尤其是DIC多发生于脑外伤后6小时内,在重型颅脑外伤患者及预后不良的颅脑外伤患者中表现的更加明显。PT、D-DT水平在颅脑外伤患者预后的评估中起重要作用,可作为患者预后的预测指标。     

Gender differences in outcome in patients with hypotension and severe traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND: Animal studies have identified hormonal influences on responses to injury and recovery, creating a potential gender effect on outcome. Progesterone and oestrogen are thought to afford protection in the immediate post-injury period, suggesting females have an advantage, although there has been limited evidence of this in human outcome studies. METHODS: This study examined the influence of gender on outcome in 229 adults (151 males), aged >17 years, with severe blunt head trauma, initial GCS <9 and hypotension, recruited into a randomised controlled trial of pre-hospital hypertonic saline resuscitation versus conventional fluid management. Outcome was measured by survival and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended version (GOS-E) scores at 6 months post-injury. RESULTS: Females recruited into the study had a higher mean age. Females were more likely to be injured as passengers and pedestrians and males as drivers or motorcyclists. There were no gender differences in GCS or injury severity scores, ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure, gas exchange (PaO2/FiO2 ratio), or duration of mechanical ventilation. After controlling for GCS, age and cause of injury, females had a lower rate of survival. They also showed a lower rate of good outcome (GOS-E score >4) at 6 months, but this appeared to reflect the lower rate of initial survival. Those females surviving had similar outcomes to males. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides no evidence that females fare better than males following severe TBI, suggesting rather that females may fare worse.     

Measuring functional and quality of life outcomes following major head injury: common scales and checklists

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health issue, which results in significant mortality and long term disability. The profound impact of TBI is not only felt by the individuals who suffer the injury but also their care-givers and society as a whole. Clinicians and researchers require reliable and valid measures of long term outcome not only to truly quantify the burden of TBI and the scale of functional impairment in survivors, but also to allow early appropriate allocation of rehabilitation supports. In addition, clinical trials which aim to improve outcomes in this devastating condition require high quality measures to accurately assess the impact of the interventions being studied. In this article, we review the properties of an ideal measure of outcome in the TBI population. Then, we describe the key components and performance of the measurement tools most commonly used to quantify outcome in clinical studies in TBI. These measurement tools include: the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSe); Disability Rating Scale (DRS); Functional Independence Measure (FIM); Functional Assessment Measure (FAM); Functional Status Examination (FSE) and the TBI-specific and generic quality of life measures used in TBI patients (SF-36 and SF-12, WHOQOL-BREF, SIP, EQ-5D, EBIQ, and QOLIBRI).     

Bromocriptine in traumatic brain injury

The authors report the case of a 63-year-old patient with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) associated with Parkinson's syndrome, whose performances were dramatically improved by bromocriptine therapy, with an improvement of the scores, not only on tests evaluating motor functions but also on tests evaluating the patient's cognitive functions. However, no improvement was observed with levodopa.     

Bomb blast, mild traumatic brain injury and psychiatric morbidity: A review

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) arising from blast exposure during war is common, and frequently complicated by psychiatric morbidity. There is controversy as to whether mild TBI from blast is different from other causes of mild TBI. Anxiety and affective disorders such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression are common accompaniments of blast injury with a significant overlap in the diagnostic features of PTSD with post-concussive syndrome (PCS). This review focuses on this overlap and the effects of mild TBI due to bomb blast. Mild TBI may have been over diagnosed by late retrospective review of returned servicemen and women using imprecise criteria. There is therefore a requirement for clear and careful documentation by health professionals of a TBI due to bomb blast shortly after the event so that the diagnosis of TBI can be made with confidence. There is a need for the early recognition of symptoms of PCS, PTSD and depression and early multi-disciplinary interventions focussed on expected return to duties. There also needs to be a continued emphasis on the de-stigmatisation of psychological conditions in military personnel returning from deployment.     

老年腹膜透析患者生存质量的影响因素

目的 探讨持续不卧床腹膜透析(CAPD)老年患者的生存质量状况,并初步探讨影响老年CAPD患者生存质量的各种因素.方法 选取我院2011年至2014年4月期间收治的年龄大于60岁的行持续不卧床腹膜透析治疗的63例老年患者,按年龄分为＜70岁和≥70岁两组,使用SF-36量表调查患者的生存质量.结果 两组患者年龄[(63.93±2.97)vs(73.57±3.22)岁]、Charlson合并症指数(3.4+±2.3 vs 5.0± 3.1)、Karnofsky活动指数(82±9 vs72± 16)、合并心血管并发症(x2=9.921,P=0.002)差异有统计学意义(均P＜0.05).两组患者SF-36量表中8个维度比较差异无统计学意义(均P＞ 0.05);在躯体健康相关生存质量方面差异有统计学意义(P=0.031).相关性分析显示,SF-36总分与Kamofsky活动指数(r=0.046,P=0.000)、残肾功能(r=0.314,P=0.012)呈正相关;与焦虑指数(r=-0.318,P=0.014)、抑郁指数(r=-0.341,P=0.006)呈负相关.躯体健康相关生存质量与年龄(r=-0.337,P=0.007)、是否合并心血管并发症(r=-0.333,P=0.008)、抑郁指数(r=-0.369,P=0.003)呈负相关;与Karnofsky活动指数(r=0.507,P=0.000)、残余肾功能(r=0.268,P=0.034)呈正相关性.精神健康相关生存质量与焦虑指数(r=-0.327,P=0.009)、抑郁指数(r=-0.267,P=0.034)呈负相关;与Karnofsky活动指数(r =0.321,P=0.01)、残余肾功能(r=0.283,P=0.025)呈正相关.结论 对于老年腹膜透析患者而言,年龄、焦虑指数、抑郁指数、Karnofsky活动指数、残肾功能、心血管并发症的发生都可能会影响其生存质量.