Current Reporting Practices for Research Involving Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation for Persons Living with...

Area of Science:

• Neuromodulation
• Spinal Cord Injury Research
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is a noninvasive technique to improve function in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
• Current research on tSCS for SCI faces challenges in consistent reporting of intervention details and outcomes.
• Evaluating reporting practices is crucial for advancing tSCS efficacy and application in SCI rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review evaluating reporting practices in tSCS studies for SCI.
• To assess the reporting of safety, stimulation parameters, and outcomes in the existing tSCS literature for SCI.
• To identify gaps in reporting that may affect the interpretability and reproducibility of tSCS research.

Main Methods:

• Searched CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases up to December 2024.
• Included full-length, English-language articles on tSCS interventions in adult SCI populations.
• Extracted data on study design, subject characteristics, outcomes, adverse events, and stimulation parameters.

Main Results:

• 65 studies met inclusion criteria, with varied designs including controlled trials and case studies.
• Incomplete reporting of stimulation parameters was common, with total intervention time, phase of tSCS, and pulse width frequently omitted.
• Repeated measures study designs exhibited the poorest reporting of intervention parameters, particularly intervention time.

Conclusions:

• A significant pattern of incomplete reporting exists across tSCS studies for SCI, particularly for intervention dosage.
• Inconsistent reporting limits the interpretability and reproducibility of tSCS research findings.
• Developing a comprehensive reporting guide is recommended to enhance consistency in tSCS research and clinical practice for SCI.