Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Mar 2012
Review Meta AnalysisDiagnostic accuracy of clinical characteristics for identifying CT abnormality after minor brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinical features can be used to identify which patients with minor brain injury need CT scanning. A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to estimate the value of these characteristics for diagnosing intracranial injury (including the need for neurosurgery) in adults, children, and infants. Potentially relevant studies were identified through electronic searches of several key databases, including MEDLINE, from inception to March 2010. ⋯ Limited studies were undertaken in children and only a few studies reported data for neurosurgical injuries. In conclusion, this review identifies clinical characteristics that indicate increased risk of intracranial injury and the need for CT scanning. Other characteristics, such as headache in adults and scalp laceration of hematoma in children, do not reliably indicate increased risk.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Mar 2012
Review Meta AnalysisDiagnostic accuracy of clinical characteristics for identifying CT abnormality after minor brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinical features can be used to identify which patients with minor brain injury need CT scanning. A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to estimate the value of these characteristics for diagnosing intracranial injury (including the need for neurosurgery) in adults, children, and infants. Potentially relevant studies were identified through electronic searches of several key databases, including MEDLINE, from inception to March 2010. ⋯ Limited studies were undertaken in children and only a few studies reported data for neurosurgical injuries. In conclusion, this review identifies clinical characteristics that indicate increased risk of intracranial injury and the need for CT scanning. Other characteristics, such as headache in adults and scalp laceration of hematoma in children, do not reliably indicate increased risk.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Mar 2012
ReviewA systematic review of the effects of pharmacological agents on walking function in people with spinal cord injury.
Studies of spinalized animals indicate that some pharmacological agents may act on receptors in the spinal cord, helping to produce coordinated locomotor movement. Other drugs may help to ameliorate the neuropathological changes resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI), such as spasticity or demyelination, to improve walking. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the effects of pharmacological agents on gait in people with SCI. ⋯ Two Level 5 studies showed that baclofen had little to no effect on improving walking in persons with incomplete SCI. There is limited evidence that pharmacological agents tested so far would facilitate the recovery of walking after SCI. More studies are needed to better understand the effects of drugs combined with gait training on walking outcomes in people with SCI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Mar 2012
ReviewA systematic review of the effects of pharmacological agents on walking function in people with spinal cord injury.
Studies of spinalized animals indicate that some pharmacological agents may act on receptors in the spinal cord, helping to produce coordinated locomotor movement. Other drugs may help to ameliorate the neuropathological changes resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI), such as spasticity or demyelination, to improve walking. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the effects of pharmacological agents on gait in people with SCI. ⋯ Two Level 5 studies showed that baclofen had little to no effect on improving walking in persons with incomplete SCI. There is limited evidence that pharmacological agents tested so far would facilitate the recovery of walking after SCI. More studies are needed to better understand the effects of drugs combined with gait training on walking outcomes in people with SCI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Mar 2012
ReviewCommon data elements for neuroimaging of traumatic brain injury: pediatric considerations.
As part of the Traumatic Brain Injury Common Data Elements project, a large-scale effort to define common data elements across a variety of domains, including neuroimaging, special considerations for pediatric patients were introduced. This article is an extension of that initial work, in which pediatric-specific pathoanatomical entities, technical considerations, interpretation paradigms, and safety considerations were reviewed. The goal of this review was to outline differences and specific information relevant to optimal performance and proper interpretation of neuroimaging in pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury. The long-range goal of this project is to facilitate data sharing as well as to provide critical infrastructure for potential clinical trials in this major public health area.