Article
Rehabilitation
Anthony F. DiMarco, Robert T. Geertman, Kutaiba Tabbaa, Gregory A. Nemunaitis, Krzysztof E. Kowalski
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the use of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to improve bowel management in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Results showed that SCS significantly reduced time required for bowel management, increased airway pressure generation, and improved overall quality of life. Importantly, the improvement in bowel management was associated with restoration of intra-abdominal pressure development.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Review
Rehabilitation
James J. Laskin, Zeina Waheed, Nancy P. Thorogood, Tom E. Nightingale, Vanessa K. Noonan
Summary: This scoping review provides an overview of the current status of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) research for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The review identifies the need for more rigorous study designs, larger sample sizes, comparative studies, improved reporting of stimulation parameters and adverse event data, and alignment of outcomes with the priorities of the SCI community.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Review
Rehabilitation
Nicholas Dietz, Sarah Wagers, Susan J. Harkema, Jessica M. D'Amico
Summary: The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy, dosing, and safety profiles of intrathecal and oral baclofen in treating spasticity after spinal cord injury (SCI). The study found that baclofen is the most commonly-prescribed antispasmodic after SCI, but there is a lack of large, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trials, and further research is needed to compare baclofen with alternative treatments.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Tim C. Crul, Marcel W. M. Post, Johanna M. A. Visser-Meily, Janneke M. Stolwijk-Swuste
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of SCI-related pain during initial inpatient rehabilitation and explore their relationships with demographic and lesion characteristics. The results showed that SCI-related pain was highly prevalent during inpatient rehabilitation and different factors such as sex, age, and type of injury were associated with the presence of pain.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Sara J. T. Guilcher, Mary-Ellen Hogan, Qi Guan, Daniel McCormack, Andrew Calzavara, Tejal Patel, Sander L. Hitzig, Tanya Packer, Aisha K. Lofters
Summary: The study found a significant proportion of individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury were prescribed opioids in a recent one-year period, with some receiving doses exceeding the maximum recommended by the Canadian opioid guideline. The research also identified risk factors associated with chronic, high-dose opioid use.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Lynn A. Worobey, Allen W. Heinemann, Kim D. Anderson, Denise Fyffe, Trevor A. Dyson-Hudson, Theresa Berner, Michael L. Boninger
Summary: This study investigated the frequency and consequences of wheelchair repairs and found that over 50% of wheelchair users were significantly affected by financial and personal costs. The highest repair rates were found for seating systems, electronics, and tires. Active users experienced more repairs and consequences compared to less active users. Repairs were more common among Black individuals and power wheelchair (PWC) users, whereas consequences were more common among Black individuals, PWC or power assist users, and those with public insurance. The consequences lasted longer than 2 weeks for many and could be minimized by having a working backup chair. Costs may present a barrier to repair completion for some individuals.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Yue Cao, David Murday, Elizabeth H. Corley, Nicole D. DiPiro, James S. Krause
Summary: The study found that 70% of patients with spinal cord injury in the southeastern United States were rehospitalized within five years of initial discharge, with high costs involved. Participants who could walk independently had fewer rehospitalizations, shorter length of stay, and lower charges, and college education was associated with lower charges.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Lynn A. Worobey, Gina McKernan, Maria Toro, Jonathan Pearlman, Rachel E. Cowan, Allen W. Heinemann, Trevor A. Dyson-Hudson, Jessica Presperin Pedersen, Matthew Mesoros, Michael L. Boninger
Summary: This study assessed the effectiveness of group wheelchair maintenance training and identified participant characteristics associated with training responsiveness. The results showed that the training improved maintenance capacity and performance for both manual and power wheelchair users. Furthermore, delivering the training in a structured group format reduced costs and enhanced the likelihood of adoption into clinical practice.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Nicole D. DiPiro, James S. Krause
Summary: The objective of this study was to identify patterns and relationships of nonprescription psychoactive substance (PAS) use among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The results demonstrated a prevalent use of nonprescription PAS among adults with chronic SCI, with clear differences in patterns and characteristics of use.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Hannah Tough, Mirja Gross-Hemmi, Silvia Stringhini, Inge Eriks-Hoogland, Christine Fekete
Summary: This study aimed to develop a more thorough understanding of the risk factors for loneliness in persons with a physical impairment, using a population-based sample of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), based on regression modeling and a recursive partitioning approach. The results showed that individuals with disadvantaged socioeconomic characteristics and greater functional limitations were more likely to experience loneliness.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
S. James Krause, Chao Li, Deborah Backus, Melinda Jarnecke, Karla Reed, Jameka Rembert, Phillip Rumrill, E. Clara Dismuke-Greer
Summary: The primary barriers for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) revolve around the condition itself, whereas the barriers for spinal cord injury (SCI) appear to be more related to modifiable factors. For participants with different employment statuses, the related barriers and facilitators also vary for individuals with MS and SCI.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Benjamin J. H. Beirens, Fransiska M. Bossuyt, Ursina Arnet, Lucas H. van der Woude, Wiebe H. K. de Vries
Summary: This study investigated the association between wheelchair propulsion biomechanics and shoulder pain in individuals with spinal cord injury. Results showed that individuals with severe shoulder pain had less smooth strokes during propulsion, indicating a possible link between shoulder pain and smoothness of applied forces.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Anne E. Palermo, Neva J. Kirk-Sanchez, Kelsey L. Garcia, Mark S. Nash, Lawrence P. Cahalin
Summary: The study examined the relationship between inspiratory muscle performance (IMP) and functional sitting balance (FSB) in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). The findings indicated a moderate correlation between IMP and FSB, with upper extremity motor score (UEMS) and sustained maximal inspiratory pressure (SMIP) predicting FSB in the tetraplegic group. Future research should focus on exploring the impact of breathing interventions on sitting balance in SCI patients.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Jane Duff, Lucy C. Grant, Jennifer Coker, Kimberley R. Monden
Summary: This study aims to recommend a cut-off score for the brief 2-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) measure for individuals with spinal cord injuries/disorders (PwSCI/D) and estimate the occurrence of anxiety within this population using the full 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) measure. The findings show that anxiety occurrence is elevated among PwSCI/D compared to the general population, and it is recommended to use a cut-off score of >= 2 for the GAD-2 and a threshold of >= 8 for the GAD-7 to ensure the maximum number of individuals with anxiety symptoms are recognized.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Michael J. DeVivo, Yuying Chen, Huacong Wen
Summary: The study identifies trends in causes of death after SCI, highlighting issues such as respiratory diseases and septicemia, as well as diabetes and unintentional injuries that need to be addressed to improve life expectancy for SCI patients.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Medical Ethics
Rea Roje, Vicko Tomic, Ivan Buljan, Ana Marusic
Summary: This study explores stakeholders' opinions on standard operating procedures (SOPs) for research integrity (RI), factors influencing the implementation of RI guidance documents and practices, and ideas for improvements. Stakeholders believe that SOPs are valuable for promoting RI and should be consistent with broader guidance, developed through dialogue with researchers and stakeholders.
ACCOUNTABILITY IN RESEARCH-ETHICS INTEGRITY AND POLICY
(2023)
Review
Medical Ethics
Rea Roje, Andrea Reyes Elizondo, Wolfgang Kaltenbrunner, Ivan Buljan, Ana Marusic
Summary: Promoting and implementing research integrity is the responsibility of multiple stakeholders in the research community. This research conducted a scoping review to analyze factors that impact the promotion and implementation of research integrity. The study found that efforts should be made at individual, institutional, and systemic levels to foster and promote research integrity practices.
ACCOUNTABILITY IN RESEARCH-ETHICS INTEGRITY AND POLICY
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Diana Juric, Michael Zlatin, Ana Marusic
Summary: This study examines the registration completeness and safety data of human genome editing trials reported in registries and published in journals. The findings highlight the need to improve the transparency of these trials, as incomplete registration and inconsistent publication data were identified. Further improvements in registration requirements and publication procedures are necessary to enhance the implementation of this promising technology.
BMC MEDICAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medical Ethics
Andrijana Perkovic Palos, Rea Roje, Vicko Tomic, Ana Marusic
Summary: This study examined the processes and structures of research integrity and research ethics in European countries, based on the framework developed at the World Conferences on Research Integrity. The study presented Country Report Cards for 16 European countries, providing information on structures, processes, and outcomes of research integrity and research ethics. While there are variations among countries, harmonization is necessary in order to ensure consistent handling of these issues and expectations for researchers working in the European area.
ACCOUNTABILITY IN RESEARCH-ETHICS INTEGRITY AND POLICY
(2023)
Article
Medical Ethics
Marin Vidak, Vicko Tomic, Ivan Buljan, Ruzica Tokalic, Ana Marusic
Summary: Organizational climate and culture play a crucial role in research organizations by promoting research integrity, reducing questionable research practices, and enhancing job satisfaction. This study aimed to explore how employees and students perceive the organizational climate and its impact in a university setting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior students and staff from two different university schools. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: differences in perception and understanding of organizational climate, institutional issues arising from organizational climate, and stakeholders' behavior in shaping the organizational climate. Organizational climate influences both employees, especially early career researchers, and students, and can be influenced by institutional leadership, thus affecting job satisfaction. Virtue-based research integrity training could be beneficial in improving the organizational climate of academic institutions.
ACCOUNTABILITY IN RESEARCH-ETHICS INTEGRITY AND POLICY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ana Marusic
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Ethics
Ivan Buljan, Ruzica Tokalic, Vicko Tomic, Marin Vidak, Ana Marusic
Summary: The study investigated whether the use of words related to moral foundations can predict the severity of research misconduct. Two groups of undergraduate medical students were given hypothetical scenarios containing moral words and asked to assess the inappropriateness of the described behavior. The ranking of behaviors differed based on their level of inappropriateness, but the wording of the scenarios did not significantly predict appropriateness. The reasons for ranking were related to students' moral assessment, indicating the importance of personal moral views in research integrity training.
JOURNAL OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON HUMAN RESEARCH ETHICS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Ruzica Tokalic, Tina Poklepovic Pericic, Ana Marusic
Summary: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of web-based and face-to-face methods in teaching the GRADE approach for evidence assessment. The results showed that there was no significant difference in performance between the web-based and face-to-face groups on most of the test questions, indicating that online education can be equally effective as traditional face-to-face teaching.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeremy Ng, Kelly G. Cobey, Saad J. Ahmed, Valerie Chow, Sharleen Maduranayagam, Lucas Santoro, Lindsey Sikora, Ana Marusic, Daniel Shanahan, Randy Townsend, Alan Ehrlich, Alfonso Iorio, David Moher
Summary: Scholarly journals play a crucial role in disseminating research findings, but there is limited focus on establishing new, credible journals and the challenges involved. This scoping review aimed to identify existing recommendations for starting a biomedical scholarly journal. The results show a lack of formal guidance, highlighting the need for an evidence-based guideline to uphold publishing quality, address obstacles faced by new journals, and provide best practices for novice publishers.
Review
Oncology
Jelena Suto, Ana Marusic, Ivan Buljan
Summary: Cochrane plain language summaries (PLSs) serve as a tool to bridge the gap between healthcare users and professionals. This study assessed the language characteristics of PLSs of Cochrane systematic reviews of oncology interventions in comparison with corresponding scientific abstracts (SAs).
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jasna Karacic Zanetti, Matthew Brown, Marin Vidak, Ana Marusic
Summary: Global health diplomacy is the practice of using foreign affairs to address health issues that require international collaboration. This study investigated how EU diplomats and health policy professionals understand the concept of health diplomacy, which has implications for diplomatic relations and patients' rights.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Mersiha Mahmic-Kaknjo, Vicko Tomic, Moriah E. Ellen, Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit, Raluca Sfetcu, Eduard Baladia, Nicoletta Riva, Angelos P. Kassianos, Ana Marusic
Summary: This study used previous research to conduct a questionnaire survey to improve the efficient production and updating of systematic reviews (SRs). The majority of participants identified data extraction as an area that requires more research and method development.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Ethics
Natalie Evans, Armin Schmolmueller, Margreet Stolper, Giulia Inguaggiato, Astrid Hooghiemstra, Ruzica Tokalic, Daniel Pizzolato, Nicole Foeger, Ana Marusic, Marc van Hoof, Dirk Lanzerath, Bert Molewijk, Kris Dierickx, Guy Widdershoven
Summary: Universities and research institutions are increasingly offering additional training in research integrity to enhance the quality and reliability of research. A train-the-trainer program has been developed by a European Commission-funded consortium, focusing on virtue ethics, the ethos of science, and learner-centred teaching. The program combines e-learning modules with participatory group sessions, enabling trainers to guide researchers in reflecting on scientific virtues and promoting the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. The program has trained 470 trainers who have educated over 3300 researchers in Europe using the virtue-based approach.
Review
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Andrijana Perkovic Palos, Antonija Mijatovic, Ivan Buljan, Daniel Garcia-Costa, Elena Alvarez-Garcia, Francisco Grimaldo, Ana Marusic
Summary: We compared articles, peer review processes, and editorial processes between Medical and Health Sciences and Social Sciences. Our analysis was based on data from the Open Research Central (ORC) portal, which hosts various journal platforms for post-publication peer review. We found differences in the structure and content of articles, as well as the tone and length of peer review reports, between the two disciplines. However, the characteristics of the peer review process were similar for both types of articles, possibly due to the use of uniform policies and procedures by the publication platform.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jakov Matas, Ruzica Tokalic, Daniel Garcia-Costa, Emilia Lopez-Inesta, Elena alvarez-Garcia, Francisco Grimaldo, Ana Marusic
Summary: This study examines how medical students interact with Summary of Findings (SoF) tables and identifies their difficulties in critical thinking and understanding study outcomes. The findings suggest that students struggle with complex questions and tend to focus on answering simpler questions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
