Personalized prediction of pressure sores after spinal cord injury
Official title: Biomarkers for pressure injury risk following spinal cord injury: Development of a multi-scalar predictive model for personalized preventive health care
Funded at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center · NIH-11415415 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will use body measures, muscle fat levels, and genetic information to predict which people with spinal cord injury are most likely to develop pressure sores so prevention can be personalized.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | November 1, 2019 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003081-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415415 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people living with spinal cord injury—especially Veterans followed at the Cleveland VA—who are concerned about or at risk for pressure sores.
✕Less likely to help
People without spinal cord injury or those whose pressure injuries are solely caused by unrelated acute trauma are unlikely to benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
I would provide health data, muscle imaging, and maybe genetic samples so researchers can look at how muscle fat (intramuscular adipose tissue), behaviors, and DNA relate to pressure sore risk. The team will combine those measurements into a multi-level predictive model that aims to identify who is most likely to develop a pressure injury. The work builds on an existing model (BEIPIR) and adds genetics and detailed muscle composition to explain why some people develop problems while others do not. If you are a Veteran with spinal cord injury, this research may be offered through the Cleveland VA as part of ongoing efforts to prevent recurring pressure sores.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors and caregivers target prevention to the people most likely to get pressure injuries, reducing hospital stays and complications.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work from the BEIPIR team has shown that intramuscular fat links to pressure injury risk, but adding genetic predictors to a multi-scale model is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
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Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bogie, Kath — Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bogie, Kath
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Identifying risk factors for pressure injuries in people with spinal cord injuries
This study is looking into why some people with spinal cord injuries get pressure injuries while others don’t, and it aims to find ways to predict who might be at risk so that we can help them stay healthy and improve their quality of life.
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Preventing pressure injuries after spinal cord injury with a clinic decision tool
A short questionnaire plus a provider report to help Veterans with spinal cord injury spot and prevent pressure sores.
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Preventing pressure injuries in spinal cord injury patients using a decision support tool.
This study is testing a new tool to help prevent pressure injuries for people with spinal cord injuries, making it easier for patients to identify their risk factors and for healthcare providers to give personalized advice, all in a way that's convenient for you to use at home or in the clinic.
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Corticospinal neurons and recovery of precise forelimb movement after spinal cord injury
This project studies how spine injuries change brain circuits and whether targeted rehabilitation helps restore precise forelimb movement.
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How baclofen and spinal cord stimulation interact in people with spinal cord injury
This study looks at how a common antispasmodic medicine (baclofen) works together with spinal cord stimulation in people who have spinal cord injuries and live with spasticity.
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Targeting spinal cord inflammation with a new HuR inhibitor to help SCI patients
A new treatment approach uses a small molecule to block a brain-spinal inflammation regulator (HuR) that drives harmful inflammation after spinal cord injury, aiming to lessen damage and pain for people with SCI.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.