Table 1. Summary of studies reporting cardiovascular function in acute neurologically complete versus incomplete SCI.
| Study | Level | N | Method | Outcome measures | Main findings | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piepmeier (1985)12 | C | 45 (22) | Frankel | Prevalence of bradycardia and ECG abnormalities | 1. Greater prevalence of bradycardia in motor complete vs incomplete 2. Greater prevalence of ECG abnormalities in motor complete vs incomplete. |
No |
| Lehmann (1987)13 | C T/L |
48 (17) 23 (ns) |
AIS | Prevalence and time course of bradycardia and hypotension | 1. Greater prevalence of persistent bradycardia in motor complete cervical SCI vs all other groups | Yes |
| Gonzalez (1991)14 | C | 31 (13) | Frankel | Supine BP and HR | 1. No differences in supine BP and HR between complete and incomplete | Yes |
| Levi (1993)15 | C | 39(11) | Frankel & AIS | Supine BP, HR, and other hemodynamics | 1. No differences in any hemodynamic measurements between groups | Yes |
| Vale (1997)18 | C T |
45 (25) 32 (8) |
AIS | MAP, prevalence of vasopressors | 1. Cervical motor and sensory complete exhibited lower MAP on admission and greater need for vasopressors | No |
| Illman (2000)20 | C T/L |
10 (7) 4(2) |
AIS | BP in response to HUT | 1. Similar drop in BP in response to HUT between cervical complete vs incomplete | No |
| Tuli (2007)17 | C | 577 (134) | AIS | SBP, HR, and incidence of neurogenic shock | 1. SBP higher in AIS C&D vs AIS B 2. HR higher in AIS C&D vs AIS A 3. Greater incidence of neurogenic shock in AIS A&B vs AIS C&D |
Yes |
| Sidorov (2008)19 | C HT LT |
55 (21) 12 (2) 22 (7) |
AIS | SBP, incidence and time course of OH | 1. No differences in SBP between incomplete cervical, high-thoracic, and low-thoracic SCI 2. Greater prevalence of OH during first month in cervical complete vs cervical incomplete |
Yes |
| Huang (2011)16 | N. comp N. incomp |
48 72 |
AIS | SBP, DBP, HR, incidence of AD | 1. No differences in any variable between motor complete and incomplete | Yes |
Note: AD = autonomic dysreflexia; AIS = American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale; BP = blood pressure; C = cervical; Comp = motor complete; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; ECG = electrocardiogram; HR = heart rate; HT = high thoracic; HUT = head-up tilt; Incomp = motor incomplete; L = lumbar; LT = low thoracic; MAP = mean arterial pressure; n = total number of participants (values in parentheses represent number of incomplete participants); N. comp = neurological complete; N. incomp = neurological incomplete; ns = not stated; OH = orthostatic hypotension; SBP = systolic blood pressure; T = thoracic.