New avenues for reducing intensive care needs in patients with chronic spinal cord injury

作     者：Pierre A Guertin 

作者机构：Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences Laval University Laval University Medical Center (CHU de Québec - CHUL) 

出 版 物：《World Journal of Critical Care Medicine》 (世界重症医学杂志)

年 卷 期：2016年第5卷第4期

页      面：201-203页

学科分类：1011[医学-护理学（可授医学、理学学位）] 10[医学] 

主　　题：Prevention of intensive care problems Quality of care Temporary recovery of vital functions Micturition Spinal networks Central pattern generators 

摘      要：Relatively soon after their accident, patients suffering a spinal cord injury(SCI) begin generally experiencing the development of significant, often life-threatening secondary complications. Many of which are associated with chronic physical inactivity-related immune function problems and increasing susceptibility to infection that repeatedly requires intensive care treatment. Therapies capable of repairing the spinal cord or restoring ambulation would normally prevent many of these problems but, as of now, there is no cure for SCI. Thus, management strategies and antibiotics remain the standard of care although antimicrobial resistance constitutes a significant challenge for patients with chronic SCI facing recurrent infections of the urinary tract and respiratory systems. Identifying alternative therapies capable of safe and potent actions upon these serious health concerns should therefore be considered a priority. This editorial presents some of the novel approaches currently in development for the prevention of specific infections after SCI. Among them, brain-permeable small molecule therapeutics acting centrally on spinal cord circuits that can augment respiratory capabilities or bladder functions. If eventually approved by regulatory authorities, some of these new avenues may potentially become clinically-relevant therapies capable of indirectly preventing the occurrence and/or severity of these lifethreatening complications in people with paraplegic or tetraplegic injuries.