International standards to document remaining autonomic function after spinal cord injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Guidelines

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) frequently leads to autonomic dysfunction.
• Current neurological classification standards (ISNCSCI) do not comprehensively address autonomic function.
• Standardized assessment of autonomic function is crucial for SCI patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the International Standards to document remaining Autonomic Function after Spinal Cord Injury (ISAFSCI).
• To provide a standardized method for evaluating autonomic dysfunction in individuals with SCI.
• To complement the existing International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI).

Main Methods:

• Development of the ISAFSCI guideline.
• Introduction of the Autonomic Standards Assessment Form for clinical evaluation.
• Availability of a web-based training program (ASTeP) for clinician education.

Main Results:

• Establishment of the first guideline for documenting autonomic function post-SCI (ISAFSCI).
• Recommendation of the Autonomic Standards Assessment Form for SCI evaluations.
• Availability of online training to support the use of the new standards.

Conclusions:

• The ISAFSCI guideline offers a standardized approach to assessing autonomic function in SCI.
• This guideline, alongside the ISNCSCI, will improve the comprehensive evaluation of individuals with SCI.
• The ASTeP training program facilitates clinician understanding and application of autonomic function assessment in SCI.