BackgroundAutonomic dysreflexia is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition in patients with spinal cord injury, as it can lead to myocardial ischemia, brain hemorrhage, or even death. Urodynamic investigation is the gold standard to assess neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction due to spinal cord injury and reveal crucial pathological findings, such as neurogenic detrusor overactivity. However, neurogenic detrusor overactivity and urodynamic investigation are known to be leading triggers of autonomic dysreflexia. Therefore, we aimed to determine predictors of autonomic dysreflexia in individuals with spinal cord injury during urodynamic investigation.MethodsThis prospective cohort study included 300 patients with spinal cord injuries and complete datasets of continuous non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring, recorded during same session repeat urodynamic investigation. We used logistic regression to reveal predictors of autonomic dysreflexia during urodynamic investigation.ResultsWe found that level of injury and presence of neurogenic detrusor overactivity were the only two independent significant predictors for autonomic dysreflexia during urodynamic investigation. A lesion at spinal segment T6 or above (odds ratio (OR) 5.5, 95% CI 3.2–9.4) compared to one at T7 or below, and presence of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (OR 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–4.9) were associated with a significant increased odds of autonomic dysreflexia during urodynamic investigation. Both odds persisted after adjustment for age, sex, and completeness and stage of injury (adjusted OR (AOR) 6.6, 95% CI 3.8–11.7, and AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1–4.5, respectively). Further stratification by lesion level showed level-dependent significantly increased adjusted odds of autonomic dysreflexia, i.e., from C1–C4 (AOR 16.2, 95% CI 5.9–57.9) to T4–T6 (AOR 2.6, 95% CI 1.3–5.2), compared to lesions at T7 or below.ConclusionsIn patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction due to spinal cord injury, autonomic dysreflexia is independently predicted by lesion level and presence of neurogenic detrusor overactivity. Considering the health risks associated with autonomic dysreflexia, such as seizures, stroke, retinal bleeding, or even death, we recommend both continuous cardiovascular monitoring during urodynamic investigation in all spinal cord-injured patients with emphasis on those with cervical lesions, and appropriate neurogenic detrusor overactivity treatment to reduce the probability of potentially life-threatening complications.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01293110.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12916-018-1040-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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ObjectivesTo investigate feasibility, reproducibility and age dependency of sensory evoked cortical potentials (SEPs) after electrical stimulation of different locations in the lower urinary tract (LUT) in a cohort of middle-aged healthy women. Subjects and MethodsIn a group of 10 healthy middle-aged women [mean (SD) height 165 (5) cm and age 43 (6) years), electrical stimulation (0.5 and 3 Hz) was applied to the bladder dome, trigone, and proximal and distal urethra. SEPs were recorded at the Cz electrode with reference to Fz. All measurements were repeated three times with an interval of 3-5 weeks. Current perception thresholds (CPT), SEP latencies and amplitudes were analysed. Results were compared with a group of younger women published previously. ResultsLUT SEPs demonstrated two positive (P1, P2) and one negative peak (N1). The mean (SD) N1 latency was 108.9 (7.8), 116.2 (10.7), 113.2 (13.4) and 131.3 (35.6) ms for the bladder dome, trigone, proximal and distal urethra, respectively. N1 latencies, except for the distal urethra, were significantly shorter than those in younger women. Taking all data, i.e. young and middle-aged women, into account, there was a significant negative correlation between the variable age and CPT/dome (r = −0.462, P = 0.04) and N1 latency/dome (r = −0.605, P = 0.005) and a significant positive correlation between the variable age and N1P2 amplitude/dome (r = 0.542, P = 0.014). ConclusionLUT SEPs can be induced in middle-aged women with reliable N1 responses. Unexpectedly, N1 responses reveal a shortening with increasing age particularly when compared with younger women. Changes in sensory afferents may be explained by age-related qualitative reorganisations within the urothelium and suburothelium potentially altering afferent nerve excitability, which may have an impact on the development of non-neurological LUT symptoms (LUTS, e.g. overactive bladder) in women.

Background: Motor and cognitive deficits and consequently mobility problems are common in geriatric patients. The currently available methods for diagnosis and for the evaluation of treatment in this vulnerable cohort are limited. The aims of the ComOn (COgnitive and Motor interactions in the Older populatioN) study are (i) to define quantitative markers with clinical relevance for motor and cognitive deficits, (ii) to investigate the interaction between both motor and cognitive deficits and (iii) to assess health status as well as treatment outcome of 1000 geriatric inpatients in hospitals of Kiel (Germany), Brescia (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Curitiba (Brazil) and Bochum (Germany).

LUTSEPs can be successfully obtained for different LUT locations in men using slow electrical stimulation. Location specific differences in N1 latencies may indicate different local afferent innervation. Larger variability of LUTSEPs versus tibial SEPs may be related to the more challenging approach and afferent fibre access within the LUT. Further studies optimizing measurement and analysis approach are required.