Study Could Change How To Manage Blood Pressure in People With Spinal Cord Injury
A new study from the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries or ICORD has challenged the current standard for handling blood pressure in individuals with spinal cord injury or SCI.
The results which Nature Communications published today could result in a change in the manner "newly injured patients have their blood pressure managed," possibly enhancing their chances of keeping more functions in the long run.
This particular research, headed by Dr. Christopher West and Dr. Brian Kwon, principal investigators at ICORD, presented that after high-thoracic SCI, the ability of the heart to contract is damaged, resulting in "reduced spinal cord blood flow."
Essentially, the scope of study at ICORD comprises basic science and clinical studies, understanding the development and growth of nerve cells, innovations in surgical methodologies, and new approaches in terms of patients' rehabilitation. This said scope is designed to create better health outcomes for people with SCI.
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High-thoracic SCI commonly refers to injuries affecting the abdominal and lower-back muscles, and the legs, usually leading to paraplegia.
High-Thoracic SCI
High-thoracic SCI commonly refers to injuries affecting the abdominal and lower-back muscles, and the legs, usually leading to paraplegia. In contrast, the function of the hand and arm may not be affected.
At present, an individual who is undergoing treatment for acute SCI, which, reports on this study describe as "a traumatic injury that bruises" partly or fully tears the spinal cord, has his blood pressure managed through the use of drugs that can lead to his blood vessels to tighten to increase blood pressure.
Experimental Treatment Used
In this particular research, the ICORD lead investigators and their team utilized an experimental treatment that targeted the heart to beat more powerfully, increasing the amount of blood expelled. The said experiment increased the blood pressure, too.
According to Dr. West, the main difference is that the study authors increased blood pressure by raising the blood flow, rather than by causing the narrowing of the blood vessels.
This is essential, West added, because by having increased blood flow, "We can deliver more oxygen and blood to the spinal cord," which is projected to diminish the impairment at the injury's epicenter, and thus, decrease the severity of the injury and bleeding in the cord, both of which are projected to improve the chances of individuals with SCI keeping more function.
Meaning, in the future, a newly admitted person to the hospital may be given a different medication during his initial period of "post-injury management."
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Retaining Function in the Long Term
If proven effective in SCI patients, such a medication could improve their chances of retaining more functions in the long-term.
Dr. Kwon said it is essential to note that one of the few things they could presently do for people with acute SCI is to attempt optimization of blood and oxygen supply to the injured spinal cord in order to prevent further secondary impurity.
The expert added, there is a need to search for ways to deliver such care in the most effective way possible since any bit of function of the spinal cord could be improved upon through approaches or methodologies such as this would possibly be quite effective to an SCI patient.
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Oct 16, 2020 07:20 AM EDT
