{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Relationship of serial muscle ultrasound of rectus femoris and ambulatory recovery in patients with acute incomplete spinal cord injury: A prospective observational study.
{Author}: Tay MRJ;Kong KH;
{Journal}: J Spinal Cord Med
{Volume}: 0
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 May 31
{Factor}: 2.04
{DOI}: 10.1080/10790268.2024.2344317
{Abstract}: <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>To investigate the change in serial muscle ultrasound of rectus femoris of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) performed within 2 months after SCI during acute rehabilitation, and the relationship with functional outcomes at 1 year post-injury.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Prospective observational study.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Inpatient multi-speciality tertiary rehabilitation center in Singapore.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Fifty-four patients with incomplete SCI, defined as American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale B-D, with SCI above L2, were recruited from March 2020 to June 2021. Serial muscle ultrasound of the rectus femoris thickness and echo intensity were obtained at 1 week post-injury and after 2 months via standardized protocols.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor score, Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS), Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM III) indoor mobility component and Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II (WISCI II) were assessed in the first week post-admission and at 1 year.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>There was a significant positive correlation between change in rectus femoris muscle thickness over 2 months and FIM motor score (P < 0.001), LEMS (P < 0.001), SCIM III indoor mobility component (P < 0.001) and WISCI II (P < 0.001) at 1 year. For the change in echo intensity over 2 months, there was a significantly negative correlation with FIM motor score (P = 0.002), LEMS (P = 0.002), SCIM III indoor mobility component (P = 0.001) and WISCI II (P = 0.001) at 1 year.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>The findings suggest that ultrasonographic serial assessment of rectus femoris muscle thickness and echo intensity during rehabilitation may be useful for determining the long-term functional outcomes in patients with incomplete SCI.