6 replies to this topic

[Apparelyzed]

Measuring Recovery in Spinal Cord Injuries

The International Campaign for Cures of Spinal Cord Injury Paralysis (ICCP) supported an international panel tasked with reviewing the methodology for clinical trials in spinal cord injury (SCI), and making recommendations on the conduct of future trials. This is the first of four papers.

Here, we examine the spontaneous rate of recovery after SCI and resulting consequences for achieving statistically significant results in clinical trials. We have reanalysed data from the Sygen trial to provide some of this information.

More: http://www.nature.co...s/3102007a.html

[Motor]

Very informative article. You use my name "Motor" in it alot. I guess I was given a good nickname. Although its for my mouth mostly!

[kewlcatkez]

Thanks for posting this Simon,

The main points in my mind are similar to the spontaenous recovery study - recovery seen in many is when "Spinal Shock" has abated. As it is such a variable factor, it is extremely difficult, no matter what research methods are used, to quantify how much 'recovery' or 'function' is down to any 'treatments', therapy ( mentioned at the end of the article) etc - and how much would have happened anyway..

Its interesting all the same..
Take care,

K

[Apparelyzed]

I must admit, that some of the "Cure" cases I've read about, do tend to drive me nuts!

Some of the doctors choose incomplete cases, a couple of months after the patients initial injury, and then claim that their secret coctail of stem cells combined with intensive physiotherapy has lead to the improvement.

Even in complete cases, it is not unusual to regain a little sensation, but even this is put down to stem cells following some of the procedures.

The chances are, with a good physiotherapy and rehabilitation routine, many of the return of function cases attributed to stem cells, would of been equally acomplished anyway by natural recovery and intensive physiotherapy alone.

These procedures are still experimental, and as the doctors applying them are reluctant to give details of exactly what they are doing, what their method of patient selection is, and are reluctant to allow their procedures to be peer reviewed, there are still more questions than answers.

I understand the desperation for a cure, but when people become desperate, there will always be people out there ready to take advantage, and make easy money from uncertainty.

I really do hope someone makes the breakthrough needed, and this catastrophic condition can be reversed, but it needs to be done properly, trialed, reviewed and consistant results shown accross all syndromes of spinal cord injuries.

Regards

Simon.

[kewlcatkez]

Apparelyzed, on Feb 21 2008, 12:35 PM, said:

These procedures are still experimental, and as the doctors applying them are reluctant to give details of exactly what they are doing, what their method of patient selection is, and are reluctant to allow their procedures to be peer reviewed, there are still more questions than answers.

I understand the desperation for a cure, but when people become desperate, there will always be people out there ready to take advantage, and make easy money from uncertainty.

I really do hope someone makes the breakthrough needed, and this catastrophic condition can be reversed, but it needs to be done properly, trialed, reviewed and consistant results shown accross all syndromes of spinal cord injuries.

Regards

Simon.

Hi Simon,

I have to say that I totally agree with what you wrote in this post. I feel the same way. In fact that is why I stay out of a lot of if not almost all of the 'cure' discussions, and probably why CC and I don't see eye to eye.

As an RN I saw many people who had had the 'weird and wonderful' ( as we used to term it) in order to cure everything and anything from Diabetes to Heart disease to CP, Stroke and paralysis. The thing which struck me was that it was very much like the "dieter" the person who wanted, often our of desperation for how they looked and felt, to have a miracle diet and as a result spent money and time on every diet and proclaimed fix for obesity out there. Every time they would see some sort of progress which only they could quantify ( such as their belt fit a bit better or something) then nothing more would happen...b/c there is no easy answer for even dieting..The small changes in weight were probably due to something within themselves and not the diet..

Of course this is a simplistic comparison and I am in NO WAY saying that dieting is the same as looking for a cure for paralysis.


I can see the comparison though on a rudimentary level..The bottom line is there isn't an easy way to cure paralysis or CP or diabetes or etc etc etc.

One day there may be significant headway made in the realm of not just SCI but other catastrophic conditions. I agree that this has t be done properly. It takes time for that to occur, time, money and insight. Its difficult to be patient when life is tailored by something catastrophic. Its natural for those green to it all to feel panicky about the fact that there is no cure. Sometimes its easier to put at least some of that into the unsafe in a sort of "no harm" thinking way. If only that was true. Sadly as you know, some techniques and methodology are as wild as their claims of success..

Take care,

K

[Ches]

Quote

The chances are, with a good physiotherapy and rehabilitation routine, many of the return of function cases attributed to stem cells, would of been equally acomplished anyway by natural recovery and intensive physiotherapy alone.

Amen

[carole338]

Ditto