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Purpose: To examine the relationship between depression and pain severity during inpatient rehabilitation for those with new onset of spinal cord injury or spinal cord disease (SCI/D), along with patient characteristics, neurological function and etiology. Method: This cross-sectional study reviewed medical records of 100 adults with SCI/D including their admission scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), a measure of depression, and pain ratings collected at admission and discharge. Results: Upon admission, 28% reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of depression and 69% reported pain. PHQ-9 scores were associated with pain only among those with the least severe impairments, for whom higher scores were associated with greater pain. While depression levels did not differ by etiology, those with traumatic injuries had higher pain ratings. Conclusions: In general, depressive symptoms were not associated with pain severity in this sample. Etiology was associated with pain, those with traumatic SCI reporting more pain at admission. Among demographic characteristics, age was related to pain, with younger subjects reporting higher levels. These findings suggest that certain characteristics may predispose patients to pain and depression upon admission to rehabilitation. By determining who is at risk for these symptoms, clinicians can adopt treatments that prevent these from becoming chronic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Natural observation of the seating arrangement by sex of three or more people seated at 176 different rectangular tables in social settings and 150 different rectangular tables in nonsocial settings were made. In social settings, opposite sex pairs selected a side by side seating arrangement, while same sex pairs, especially males, preferred to sit across from one another. In nonsocial settings, individuals selected the side by side seating arrangement regardless of sex. The importance of situational context and learned sexual norms to observed spatial behavior was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response by Anthony Chiodo to a letter to the editor about his article "Cadaveric Study of Methods for Subscapularis Muscle Needle Insertion," in the previous issue of the journal is presented.

Background/objective: Chronic pain is common in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Any new strategy that is effective in treating this problem would be welcomed by this patient population., Methods: A case series is presented of SCI with neuropathic pain. In these 3 cases, interventional spine therapy is used as a diagnostic and/or therapeutic tool in the management of pain., Results: In the cases presented, interventional spine therapy proved useful in identifying the patient's pain generator. In most cases, the intervention was effective in reducing pain for a long enough period to serve as an effective pain management strategy. Other associated problems, such as spasticity, were similarly reduced., Conclusion: Interventional spine therapy should be considered as a tool in the armamentarium of any SCI physician managing their patient's chronic pain.