The application of somatosensory evoked potentials in spinal cord injury rehabilitation

For a therapeutic intervention after spinal cord injury (SCI), it is important to take accurate and objective assessment tools.

To explore the practicability of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) scale and describe the rehabilitation value of SEPs in different degrees of SCI.

Thirty-six SCI patients were enrolled in this study. All the patients received comprehensive rehabilitation treatment, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, functional electrical stimulation, and psychotherapy. The nerve function of the spinal cord was assessed by SEPs, the activities of daily living (ADL) was evaluated by MBI scale, and SEP recordings and MBI scores were obtained before and after treatment.

There were statistically significant differences in SEPs latency among different grades of SCI before treatment. The SEPs latency after treatment was better than that before treatment in every grade (p < 0.05). Comparable differences among different grades were also detected by MBI scores before treatment (p < 0.05), and the MBI scores increased significantly after treatment (p < 0.05), higher in each group than another from grade A to B, C, and D. There was a linear correlation between SEPs latency and MBI scores before and after treatment.

SEPs combined with MBI scale could objectively reflect the SCI degree and accurately monitor therapeutic intervention in SCI. SEPs have a greater value in monitoring SCI than MBI and their rehabilitation value varies in different grades of SCI.