Purpose: Establish a multi-center standard of outcome measures in patients with acute spinal cord injury including electrophysiological (MEP and SSEP), clinical (ASIA scores), and functional (ambulatory capacity and activities of daily life) measures. In the EM SCI five SCI units in Europe (Zürich, Heidelberg, Bayreuth, Paris and Nijmegen) work in collaboration with the Brain Research Institute Zürich.
Methodology: Patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury will be investigated at fixed time points after spinal cord injury (acute, 4, 12, 24 and 48 weeks). The examinations include a standard set of electrophysiological, clinical, and functional measures. After timed data collection the data will be processed in a central database.A total of 11 paraplegic centers build up a close collaboration to plan a prospective study, with the aim to investigate · the relationship between electrophysiological, neurophysiological and functional measures · the prognostic value of outcome measures · the mechanism of spontaneous recovery · investigate the efficacy of new treatment strategies |
