Spinal Cord Injury Registry - North American Clinical Trials Network
Spinal Cord Injury Registry - North American Clinical Trials Network
The NACTN Spinal Cord Injury Registry is a network of clinical centers collecting
 de-identified data from patients admitted through the Emergency Department of a NACTN center
 at the time of injury with an initial (first time) spinal cord injury (SCI). Information will
 be collected on the natural history of SCI and course of treatment through the first 12
 months from the date of injury or long as medically indicated. Data collected includes
 imaging information from CT or MRI scans, neurological and general medical outcome and
 rehabilitation evaluation. No intervention is given other than standard of care for spinal
 cord injury, intensive monitoring and frequent follow up care.
The participating centers include:

 University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; University of Toronto, Toronto;
 University of Virginia, Charlottesville; University of Louisville, Louisville; University of
 Maryland, Baltimore; Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda; Thomas Jefferson
 University, Philadelphia; University of Miami, Miami; Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam
 Houston; Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans; Vanderbilt
 University Medical Center, Nashville; Medical College Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Duke University,
 Durham

 The NACTN Clinical Coordinating Center is located at:

 Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston

 The Center for Biostatistics is located at:

 Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston

 The Data Management Center is located at:

 University of Louisville, Louisville

 Preliminary work has been completed on the selection of data elements, data collection
 protocols, case record form design, and the design of a computer system for clinical data
 management and data quality control.

 In the first phase of the network, data will be collected on the natural history of SCI.
 Although there is considerable data in the literature about the natural history of SCI,
 current changes in treatment appear to be modifying the natural history. In particular very
 early surgery, including decompression of the spinal cord and vertebral stabilization with
 instrumentation appears, in some cases of SCI, to be improving outcomes.

 No treatment is given other than standard of care for SCI. Data is collected in hopes to help
 SCI patients in the future.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Any patient male or female > or equal to 18 years of age with first time spinal cord
 injury caused by trauma and has neurological deficit with paralysis (weakness) or loss
 of sensation (touch).

 -  Has not received prior medical of surgical care for this injury at an intermediate
 hospital.

 -  Must give informed consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Any patient or family refusing consent