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Cardiovascular Function and Response to Stimulation Within the First Year After Spinal Cord Injury

Description

The study aims to explore how cardiovascular function changes in the first year after a spinal cord injury, and to see how different treatments, like spinal stimulation through the skin (transcutaneous spinal stimulation), affect blood pressure. The main questions are: How does stimulation affect blood pressure over the year? What is the level of cardiovascular activation throughout the year? The study will start during the inpatient stay at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and continue after discharge as an outpatient, totaling about 20-29 sessions over the year.

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)Orthostatic Hypotension, DysautonomicCardiovascularTranscutaneous Spinal Stimulation
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Related Conditions:

Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)Orthostatic Hypotension, DysautonomicCardiovascularTranscutaneous Spinal Stimulation

Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

The study aims to explore how cardiovascular function changes in the first year after a spinal cord injury, and to see how different treatments, like spinal stimulation through the skin (transcutaneous spinal stimulation), affect blood pressure. The main questions are: How does stimulation affect blood pressure over the year? What is the level of cardiovascular activation throughout the year? The study will start during the inpatient stay at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and continue after discharge as an outpatient, totaling about 20-29 sessions over the year.

Assessing Cardiovascular Effects: Is There a Time Too Early for Spinal Stimulation in Acute SCI? A Year-Long Evaluation of Autonomic Function Following Injury

Cardiovascular Function and Response to Stimulation Within the First Year After Spinal Cord Injury

Condition
Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

West Orange

Kessler Foundation, West Orange, New Jersey, United States, 07052

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Individuals with a spinal cord injury undergoing inpatient rehabilitation at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
  • * Between 18-75 years old
  • * 7-50 days after injury
  • * Injury level ≥ T6 (a cervical or a high-level chest injury)
  • * Individuals experiencing low blood pressure after the injury
  • * American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) A or B
  • * A ventilator is needed for breathing.
  • * Devices such as brain/spine/nerve stimulators, a cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator, or intra-cardiac lines are present in the body.
  • * There is a significant disease affecting the blood vessels or signals in the heart, or a recent heart attack (myocardial infarction) has occurred.
  • * A new medication has been prescribed to treat blood pressure or a heart problem within the last five days (excluding midodrine).
  • * There is a known infection in the body (e.g., urinary tract infection) or a current illness (e.g., recent diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or other blood clotting issues, and/or a pressure injury that might interfere with the study).
  • * There is a history of seizures.
  • * Pregnancy.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Kessler Foundation,

Einat Engel-Haber, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Kessler Foundation

Study Record Dates

2026-11