Observational study of the effectiveness of spinal cord injury rehabilitation using the Spinal Cord Injury-Ability Realization Measurement Index

Abstract

Study design: Retrospective observational study. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the rehabilitation potential and the extent to which it is realized in a cohort of spinal cord injury patients using the Spinal Cord Injury-Ability Realization Measurement Index (SCI-ARMI) and to study the clinical factors that influence this realization. Setting: Two spinal units in Italy. Methods: Consecutive patients were assessed at the end of an in-patient rehabilitation program using the Spinal Cord Independence Measure and the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury. On the basis of these data and of the age and gender of the patients, we calculated the SCI-ARMI score. Regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between clinical factors and the extent to which rehabilitation potential is realized. Results: We examined the data for 306 patients. Most patients were discharged without having reached their rehabilitation potential, with an SCI-ARMI score o80%. SCI-ARMI scores at discharge were positively influenced by etiology and the lesion level and correlated negatively with lesion severity and the presence of complications during rehabilitation. Conclusion: The SCI-ARMI is an effective tool that can be used to measure the achievement of rehabilitation potential in SCI patients and to identify groups of patients who are at risk of not meeting their rehabilitative potential.

Long-term functional outcome in patients with acquired infections after acute spinal cord injury

“…34 It is warranted to extend from preventive antibiotic treatment regimens as being ineffective in reducing infection rates or improving outcome after ischemic CNS injury. [35][36][37] We provide evidence for considering infections as rehabilitation confounders 38 of relevance for patient stratification in clinical trials and the protection of endogenous recovery potential after SCI.…”

Ability Realization Improves During Inpatient Rehabilitation for Guillain-Barré Syndrome

“…We followed this procedure with patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI), using the change in ability realization (the actual implementation of potential functioning) during rehabilitation as a representation of the net rehabilitation effect. 11,12 We defined ability realization for a given neurological status as the ratio of the observed and potential performance.…”

“…Therefore, to assess the effect of rehabilitation on function, we must calculate the change in function, controlling for other factors affecting it, primarily the change in neurological motor status. We followed this procedure with patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI), using the change in ability realization (the actual implementation of potential functioning) during rehabilitation as a representation of the net rehabilitation effect 11,12 . We defined ability realization for a given neurological status as the ratio of the observed and potential performance.…”

Quantitative Functional Recovery Assessment of Spinal Cord Injury by using “Spinal Cord Injury-Ability Realization Measurement Index (SCI-ARMI)”: An Observational Study

“…11,12 The SCI-ARMI score is the ability realization that is expressed as a percentage. 13 SCI-ARMI was first developed in 2004 at the spinal department of Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital, Israel and after that various versions of SCI-ARMI have been developed. 11,13 For any level of severity of SCI, ability realization is defined as the ratio of the observed and maximum possible performance of daily living activities.…”