Traumatic spinal cord injury in Ontario, Canada

Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury and Income and Employment Status

Importance

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes drastic changes to an individual's physical health that may be associated with the ability to work.

Objective

To estimate the association of SCI with individual earnings and employment status using national administrative health databases linked to income tax data.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a retrospective, national, population-based cohort study of adults who were hospitalized with cervical SCI in Canada between January 2005 and December 2017. All acute care hospitalizations for SCI of adults ages 18 to 64 years were included. A comparison group was constructed by sampling from individuals in the injured cohort. Fiscal information from their preinjury years was used for comparison. The injured cohort was matched with the comparison group based on age, sex, marital status, province of residence, self-employment status, earnings, and employment status in the year prior to injury. Data were analyzed from August 2022 to January 2023.

Main outcomes and Measures

The first outcome was the change in individual annual earnings up to 5 years after injury. The change in mean yearly earnings was assessed using a linear mixed-effects differences-in-differences regression. Income values are reported in 2022 Canadian dollars (CAD $1.00 = US $0.73). The second outcome was the change in employment status up to 5 years after injury. A multivariable probit regression model was used to compare proportions of individuals employed among those who had experienced SCI and the paired comparison group of participants.

Results

A total of 1630 patients with SCI (mean [SD] age, 47 [13] years; 1304 male [80.0%]) were matched to patients in a preinjury comparison group (resampled from the same 1630 patients in the SCI group). The mean (SD) of preinjury wage earnings was CAD $46 000 ($48 252). The annual decline in individual earnings was CAD $20 275 (95% CI, -$24 455 to -$16 095) in the first year after injury and CAD $20 348 (95% CI, -$24 710 to -$15 985) in the fifth year after injury. At 5 years after injury, 52% of individuals who had an injury were working compared with 79% individuals in the preinjury comparison group. SCI survivors had a decrease in employment of 17.1 percentage points (95% CI, 14.5 to 19.7 percentage points) in the first year after injury and 17.8 percentage points (14.5 to 21.1 percentage points) in the fifth year after injury.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study, SCI was associated with a decline in earnings and employment up to 5 years after injury for adults aged 18 to 64 years in Canada.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the global epidemiology of pediatric traumatic spinal cord injuries

Despite being relatively rare, pediatric traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a debilitating event with high morbidity and long-term damage and dependency. This study aims to provide insight on the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric TSCI worldwide. The studies were included if they provided data for the pediatric population with the diagnosis of TSCI. Information sources included PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. All databases were searched from 1990 to April 2023. The quality of included studies was evaluated by Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. The results of the meta-analysis were presented as forest plots. PROSPERO Registration code: CRD42020189757. We identified 87 studies from 18 developed and 11 developing countries. Of the 87 studies evaluated, 52 studies were considered medium quality, 27 studies were considered high quality, and 8 studies were considered low quality. In developed countries, the proportion of TSCIs occurring in patients aged 0-15 years was 3% (95% CI: 2.2%; 3.9%), while in developing countries, it was 4.5% (95% CI: 2.8%; 6.4%). In developed countries, the pooled incidence of pediatric TSCI was 4.3/millions of children aged 0-15/year (95% CI: 3.1; 6.0/millions children aged 0-15/year) and boys comprised 67% (95% CI: 63%; 70%) of cases. The most prevalent level of injury was cervical (50% [95% CI: 41%; 58%]). The frequency of SCI Without Obvious Radiological Abnormality (SCIWORA) was 35% (95% CI: 18%; 54%) among children 0-17 years. The most common etiology in developed countries was transport injuries (50% [95% CI: 42%; 57%]), while in developing countries falls were the leading cause (31% [95% CI: 20%; 42%]). The most important limitation of our study was the heterogeneity of studies in reporting age subgroups that hindered us from age-specific analyses.   Conclusion: Our study provided accurate estimates for the epidemiology of pediatric TSCI. We observed a higher proportion of pediatric TSCI cases in developing countries compared to developed countries. Furthermore, we identified distinct epidemiological characteristics of pediatric TSCI when compared to adult cases and variations between developing and developed countries. Recognizing these unique features allows for the implementation of cost-effective preventive strategies aimed at reducing the incidence and burden of TSCI in children. What is Known: • Pediatric Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI) can have profound physical and social consequences for affected children, their families, and society as a whole. • Epidemiological insights are vital for they provide the data and understanding needed to the identification of vulnerable populations, aiding in the development of targeted prevention strategies and effective resource allocation. What is New: • The estimated incidence of pediatric TSCI in developed countries is 4.3 cases per million children aged 0-15. The proportion of pediatric TSCI cases in relation to all-age TSCI cases is 3% in developed countries and 4.5% in developing countries. • The etiology of TSCI in pediatric cases differs between developing and developed countries. In developed countries, transport injuries are the most prevalent cause of pediatric TSCI, while falls are the least common cause. Conversely, in developing countries, falls are the leading cause of pediatric TSCI.

Epidemiology of Work-Related Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: An Analysis of Workers' Compensation Claims in Korea, 2011-2019

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify the incidence and burden of work-related traumatic spinal cord injury (wrTSCI) in Korea in the 10-year period from 2010 to 2019.

METHODS

We used nationwide workers' compensation insurance data. The study population comprised industrially injured workers with TSCI diagnosis codes. The annual incidence of wrTSCI (number per million workers) was calculated.

RESULTS

The mean annual incidence of wrTSCI was 22.8/1,000,000 (95% confidence interval, 20.5 to 25.0), and the mean total cost per claim was 231.40 million KRW. The incidence of TSCI in the cervical region was the highest (13.1/1,000,000; 95% confidence interval, 11.4 to 14.9), and most cases were in the construction industry (47.3%).

CONCLUSION

These findings can help identify specific at-risk groups and facilitate the development of prevention strategies.

Patterns of change in prehospital spinal motion restriction: A retrospective database review

BACKGROUND

Acute management of trauma patients with potential spine injuries has evolved from uniform spinal immobilization (SI) to spinal motion restriction (SMR). Little research exists describing how these changes have been implemented. This study aims to describe and analyze the practice of SMR in one emergency medical services (EMS) agency over the time frame of SMR adoption.

METHODS

This was a retrospective database review of electronic patient care reports from 2009 to 2020. The effects of key practice changes (revised documentation and a collar-only treatment option) were analyzed in an interrupted time series using the rate of SI/SMR as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included patient age, sex, acuity, mechanism of injury, treatment provided, cervical collar size, and positioning. These were assessed for changes from year to year by Poisson regression. Associations between patient and treatment characteristics were investigated with binomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

There were 25,747 instances of SI/SMR included. Among all patients, the median age was 40 (interquartile range 24-56), 58% (14,970) were male, and 20% (5062) were high-acuity. The rate of SI/SMR declined from 31.2 to 12.7 treatments per 100 trauma calls per month. The proportion of high-acuity patients increased by 9.6% per year on average (95% CI 8.7%-10.0%). When first available, collar-only treatment was provided to 47% of patients, rising by 6.3% per year (95% CI 3.2%-9.5%) to 60% in 2020. Collar-only treatment (compared to board-and-collar) was more likely to be applied to low-acuity patients (as compared to high): odds ratio 3.01 (95% CI 2.64-3.43).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows decreasing SI/SMR treatment and changing patient and practice characteristics. These patterns of care cannot be attributed solely to formal protocol changes. Similar patterns and their possible explanations should be investigated elsewhere.

Incidence and mortality of spinal cord injury from 2008 to 2020: a retrospective population-based cohort study in the Piedmont Region, Italy

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the incidence and mortality of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the Piedmont Region of Northwestern Italy.

SETTING

Publicly-funded SCI rehabilitation centres in the Piedmont Region.

METHODS

Administrative databases were used to identify individuals at their first admission to a SCI rehabilitation centre from January 1st, 2008 to December 31st, 2020. Cases were stratified by age and aetiology (traumatic SCI, TSCI; non-traumatic SCI, NTSCI). Age- and aetiology-specific incidence rate and person-year mortality rates were calculated for each year. Case lethality was reported as deaths among prevalent cases for each year.

RESULTS

A total of 892 cases were identified (56.4% TSCI). The average annual crude incidence rate was 17.9 per million population, decreasing from 26.0 in 2008 to 10.8 in 2020. Young adults and the elderly represented the majority of TSCI and NTSCI cases, respectively. Of the 235 individuals who died during the study period, 58.3% had NTSCI. The mortality rate per 1000 person-years decreased from 16.3 in 2009 to 8.5 in 2020, while case lethality more than tripled (from 17.2 in 2009 to 57.1 in 2020).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a decreasing trend in SCI incidence and mortality rates, with an increased case lethality over the study period, especially in NTSCI. Given these changes in the epidemiology of SCI, community services offered after rehabilitation should be strengthened to enhance their effectiveness and contribute to increased survival in this population.

Delayed viral vector mediated delivery of neurotrophin-3 improves skilled hindlimb function and stability after thoracic contusion

Intramuscular injection of an Adeno-associated viral vector serotype 1 (AAV1) encoding Neurotrophin-3 (NT3) into hindlimb muscles 24 h after a severe T9 spinal level contusion in rats has been shown to induce lumbar spinal neuroplasticity, partially restore locomotive function and reduce spasms during swimming. Here we investigate whether a targeted delivery of NT3 to lumbar and thoracic motor neurons 48 h following a severe contusive injury aids locomotive recovery in rats. AAV1-NT3 was injected bilaterally into the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius and rectus abdominus muscles 48-h following trauma, persistently elevating serum levels of the neurotrophin. NT3 modestly improved trunk stability, accuracy of stepping during skilled locomotion, and alternation of the hindlimbs during swimming, but it had no effect on gross locomotor function in the open field. The number of vGlut1⁺ boutons, likely arising from proprioceptive afferents, on gastrocnemius α-motor neurons was increased after injury but normalised following NT3 treatment, suggestive of a mechanism in which functional benefits may be mediated through proprioceptive feedback. Ex vivo MRI revealed substantial loss of grey and white matter at the lesion epicentre but no effect of delayed NT3 treatment to induce neuroprotection. Lower body spasms and hyperreflexia of an intrinsic paw muscle were not reliably induced in this severe injury model suggesting a more complex anatomical or physiological cause to their induction. We have shown that delayed intramuscular AAV-NT3 treatment can promote recovery in skilled stepping and coordinated swimming, supporting a role for NT3 as a therapeutic strategy for spinal injuries potentially through modulation of somatosensory feedback.

Is Blood Loss Greater in Elderly Patients under Antiplatelet or Anticoagulant Medication for Cervical Spine Injury Surgery? A Japanese Multicenter Survey

Introduction

In elderly patients with cervical spinal cord injury, comorbidities such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are common, with frequent administration of antiplatelet/anticoagulant (APAC) drugs. Such patients may bleed easily or unexpectedly during surgery despite prior withdrawal of APAC medication. Few reports have examined the precise relationship between intraoperative blood loss and history of APAC use regarding surgery for cervical spine injury in the elderly. The present multicenter database survey aimed to answer the question of whether the use of APAC drugs affected the amount of intraoperative blood loss in elderly patients with cervical spinal cord trauma.

Methods

The case histories of 1512 patients with cervical spine injury at 33 institutes were retrospectively reviewed. After excluding cases without spinal surgery or known blood loss volume, 797 patients were enrolled. Blood volume loss was the outcome of interest. We calculated propensity scores using the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method. As an alternative sensitivity analysis, linear mixed model analyses were conducted as well.

Results

Of the 776 patients (mean age: 75.1±6.4 years) eligible for IPTW calculation, 157 (20.2%) were taking APAC medications before the injury. After weighting, mean estimated blood loss was 204 mL for non-APAC patients and 215 mL for APAC patients. APAC use in elderly patients was not significantly associated with surgical blood loss according to the IPTW method with propensity scoring or linear mixed model analyses. Thus, it appeared possible to perform surgery expecting comparable blood loss in APAC and non-APAC cases.

Conclusions

This multicenter study revealed no significant increase in surgical blood loss in elderly patients with cervical trauma taking APAC drugs. Surgeons may be able to prioritize patient background, complications, and preexisting conditions over APAC use before injury when examining the surgical indications for cervical spine trauma in the elderly.

Effect of non-invasive brain stimulation on neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In recent years, some studies indicated that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could relieve neuropathic pain (NP) following a spinal cord injury (SCI), whereas some studies showed no pain relief effect. In addition, some studies showed the analgesic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on NP post SCI, whereas other studies showed no effect.

METHODS

We systematically searched on the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline, Google Scholar for studies exploring the analgesic effect of rTMS or tDCS on NP post SCI until November 2019. Meta-analysis was conducted to summarize results of these studies.

RESULTS

The present quantitative meta-analysis indicated no significant difference in the effect of treatment on NP following SCI between rTMS and sham rTMS over the motor cortex at about 1 week after the end of the rTMS period (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 2.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.27 to 6.04). However, the study indicated that rTMS showed significantly better pain relief of treatment compared with sham rTMS between 2 and 6 weeks after the end of the rTMS period (SMD = 3.81, 95%CI: 0.80-7.52). However, no sufficient evidence could be provided to make a meta-analysis for the analgesic effect of tDCS on NP following SCI over the primary motor area (M1).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the present meta-analysis suggested that rTMS did not show early analgesic effect on NP after SCI, but showed better middle-term analgesic effect, compared with sham rTMS. More large scale, blinded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were needed to explore the analgesic effect of rTMS and tDCS on NP following SCI.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations of Saskatchewan: a prospective outcomes study

Background

People of Aboriginal (Indigenous) ancestry are more likely to experience traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) than other Canadians; however, outcome studies are limited. This study aims to compare Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations with acute TSCI with respect to preinjury baseline characteristics, injury severity, treatment, outcomes and length of stay.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of participants with a TSCI who were enrolled in the prospective Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry (RHSCIR), Saskatoon site (Royal University Hospital), between Feb. 13, 2010, and Dec. 17, 2016. Demographic, injury and management data were assessed to identify any differences between the populations.

Results

Of the 159 patients admitted to Royal University Hospital with an acute TSCI during the study period, 62 provided consent and were included in the study. Of these, 21 self-identified as Aboriginal (33.9%) and 41 as non-Aboriginal (66.1%) on treatment intake forms. Compared with non-Aboriginal participants, Aboriginal participants were younger, had fewer medical comorbidities, had a similar severity of neurologic injury and had similar clinical outcomes. However, the time to discharge to the community was significantly longer for Aboriginal participants (median 104.0 v. 34.0 d, p = 0.016). Although 35% of non-Aboriginal participants were discharged home from the acute care site, no Aboriginal participants were transferred home directly.

Conclusion

This study suggests a need for better allocation of resources for transition to the community for Aboriginal people with a TSCI in Saskatchewan. We plan to assess outcomes from TSCI for Aboriginal people across Canada.

A Legal and Forensic Medicine Approach to Police Physical Intervention Techniques in High-Risk Situations

Background: The physical intervention techniques (PITs) typically used by the police in troublesome situations are examined in terms of injuring potential depending on whether they target a body zone of high, medium or low vulnerability. Based on legal and forensic considerations, and principles of congruence, opportunity and proportionality, a need exists to favor opponent locking and arrest techniques targeting non-vulnerable zones to minimize the risk of severe damage. Methods: A search of the training manuals for the different kind of law of enforcement officers was carried out. Revision of injuries was available from electronic databases of academic o medical journals. Results: Three different locking and arrest PITs based on operational tactical procedures (OTP) that avoid zones of high or medium vulnerability are proposed. The new techniques use blocking, diverting and grabbing of the upper and lower limbs, followed by dislocation and locking of the same targets. Conclusions: The damaging potential of such PITs was assessed in terms of anatomical region and most were found to have a high risk of severe damage. The alternative PITs proposed here, which rely on OTP, improve in legal and forensic medical terms on existing choices and dramatically reduce the risk of injuring arrestees.

Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in Tianjin, China: An 18-year retrospective study of 735 cases

Study Design: Hospital-based retrospective studyObjectives: To evaluate the pathogenetic features of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) during 1999-2016 according to changed injury etiology with time, explore different characteristics of patients suffered a TSCI during 1999-2007 and 2008-2016 in Tianjin, China.Setting: Tianjin Medical University General HospitalMethods: In this study, the medical records of TSCI patients were obtained from Tianjin Medical University General Hospital (TMUGH) from 1st January 1999 to 31th December 2016. Variables were recorded, including age, gender occupation, etiology, the level of injury, America Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale, the severity, concomitant injuries, death and its cause. To explore the differences in characteristics by etiology and by two periods, related statistical methods were used to calculate the correlation of some variables. Differences in etiology of TSCI during 1999-2016 were evaluated and differences in epidemiological characteristics were separately compared and analyzed between the 1999-2007 period and the 2008-2016 period.Results: From 1999-2016, 831 TSCI cases were identified and 96 cases were excluded from analyses. The male-to-female ratio was 2.9:1 and the mean age was 49.7±15.2 years, which changed significantly between 1999-2007 (45.1±14.2) and 2008-2016 (51.6±15.2). Traffic accidents (45.8%) were the leading cause of TSCI during the 1999-2007 period, followed by low falls (30.7%). However, the opposite result was observed during the 2008-2016 period. Significant difference was observed compared with thoracic, lumbar and sacral levels, cervical level was the most commonly affected levels and the percentage decreased to a certain degree between 1999-2007 and 2008-2016 (from 84.4% to 68.9%). The proportions of ASIA grades A, B, C, and D were 20.5%, 10.3%, 23.3%, and 45.9%, respectively. The percentage of complete tetraplegia decreased from 22.9% in 1999-2007 to 13.2% in 2008-2016, and the percentage of incomplete paraplegia increased from 9.7% to 27.9%.Conclusion: According to the changes in the epidemiological characteristics of TSCI, relevant health service, laws and regulations, preventative strategies should be readjusted to follow up the changing situation and epidemiological characteristics of TSCI.

The lifetime cost of spinal cord injury in Ontario, Canada: A population-based study from the perspective of the public health care payer

OBJECTIVE

To determine the publicly funded health care system lifetime cost-of-illness of spinal cord injury (SCI) from the perspective of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care.

METHODS

Individuals hospitalized for their first SCI between the years 2005 and 2011 were identified and their health care costs were calculated using Ontario administrative health care data. From this information, lifetime costs were estimated using phase-based costing methods. The spinal cord injured cohort was matched to a non-spinal cord injured using propensity score matching. Net costs were determined by calculating the difference in costs between the two matched groups. Net costs were also presented for subgroups stratified by demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 1,716 individuals with SCI were identified and matched in our study. The net lifetime cost of SCI was $336,000 per person. Much of the costs were observed in the first year post-SCI. The lifetime cost of SCI for individuals with a concurrent pressure ulcer at the initial hospitalization rises to $479,600. Costs were also higher for individuals with cervical or thoracic injury or requiring inpatient rehabilitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal cord injury is a substantial burden to the health care system. Our results are limited to the direct health care costs from the publicly funded health care payer perspective. Further analysis with a broader perspective is needed to understand the full economic impact of this catastrophic condition.

Assessment of quality of life in relation to spasticity severity and socio-demographic and clinical factors among patients with spinal cord injury

Objective: To assess the impact of spasticity severity as well as socio-demographic and clinical factors on quality of life (QOL) and to identify factors predicting poor QOL among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI)Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.Setting: Tertiary care clinic in Istanbul, Turkey.Participants: A total of 110 patients with SCI (mean (SD) age: 43.8 (14.7) years, 58.2% were males) were enrolled.Assessments: The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Turkish version of the World Health Organization Quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) were utilized to determine the SCI category, severity of spasticity and QOL scores, respectively.Outcome measures: The WHOQOL-BREF scores were evaluated with respect to the severity of spasticity, aetiology and duration of SCI, AIS category and method of bladder management.Results: The mean (SD) physical health (41.9 (15.3) vs. 46.5 (10.9), P = 0.029), social relationships (45.6 (20.2) vs. 53.8 (17.3), P = 0.025) and total WHOQOL-BREF scores were significantly lower in patients with more severe spasticity. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that severity of spasticity was a significant predictor of decreased WHOQOL-BREF total scores, physical domain scores and social relations domain scores by 11.381 (P = 0.007), 11.518 (P = 0.005) and 17. 965 (P = 0.004), respectively.Conclusion: In conclusion, addressing QOL in relation to severity of spasticity for the first time among Turkish SCI patients, our findings revealed a negative impact of the spasticity severity on the WHOQOL-BREF scores, particularly for physical health and social relationship domains.

Is the Current Management of Patients Presenting With Spinal Trauma to District General Hospitals Fit for Purpose?: Our Experience of Delivering a Spinal Service Using an Electronic Referral Platform in a Large District General Teaching Hospital Without Onsite Spinal Services

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe the provision of a spinal service using an electronic platform to direct management from an external spinal unit, and to quantify the time taken to obtain definitive management plans while under prescribed spinal immobilization.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Most attending district general hospitals following spinal trauma will have stable injuries and normal neurology, with only a small proportion requiring urgent transfer to a specialist center.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 104 patients admitted following vertebral trauma during a 12-month period. The British Orthopaedic Association Standards for Trauma consensus that "spinal immobilisation is not recommended for more than 48 hours" was the standard of care measured against.

RESULTS

One hundred patients occupied a total of 975 hospital inpatient bed days. One hundred and seventeen radiological investigations were requested after the point of external referral [47 computed tomography (CT)-scans, 37 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-scans, and 33 weight-bearing radiographs]. The period between initial referral to the regional spinal service and then receiving a definitive final management plan had a median value of 72 hours and a range of 0 and 33 days. Patients will have been under some form of prescribed spinal immobilization until the definitive management plan was communicated. Thirty-four patients (34% of the overall cohort) had a definitive management plan in place within 48 hours. Eighty patients had vertebral injuries (73 stable, six unstable), three patients had prolapsed intervertebral disks, one had metastatic disease, and 17 did not have evidence of an acute injury following evaluation.

CONCLUSION

Patients are being placed under prescribed immobilization for longer than is recommended. Delays in obtaining radiological imaging were an important factor, together with the time taken to receive a definitive management plan. Limitations in social care provision and delays in arranging this were additional barriers to hospital discharge following the final management plan.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of persons with spinal cord injury in Turkey: One-year experience of a primary referral rehabilitation center

OBJECTIVE

To define the demographic and clinical characteristics of persons with spinal cord injury, rehabilitated in a primary referral rehabilitation center in Turkey.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

METHODS

Medical records of all patients with spinal cord injury (acute-subacute-chronic) at a single academic referral center over the course of one year were reviewed. Variables of each patient were recorded, including: age, sex, etiology, length of rehabilitation stay, neurological level of injury, level of neurological impairment and severity of injury.

RESULTS

Among 262 persons with spinal cord injury, 69.8% were male (male:female ratio is 2.31 : 1). Mean age was 38.3 ± 17.6 years. Falls were the most common cause of injury. The majority of falls were falls from a height (93.3%). More than 20% of falls from a height were related to occupational injury. The most common neurological level of injury was L1. Of all persons 46.2% had thoracic, 27.5% had lumbar and 26.3% had cervical lesions. The mean length of rehabilitation stay was 52.1 ± 25.5 days. Persons with motor complete injury and with a shorter (<12 months) time since injury had longer length of rehabilitation stay.

CONCLUSION

The mean age of SCI population is increasing. Falls constitute the majority of etiologic factors and are more common in persons >60 years old. More than 20% of falls from a height are related to occupational injury. Male-female ratio is decreasing. Thoraco-lumbar injures are more common than cervical injuries.

Non-invasive brain stimulation to promote motor and functional recovery following spinal cord injury

We conducted a systematic review of studies using non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS: repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)) as a research and clinical tool aimed at improving motor and functional recovery or spasticity in patients following spinal cord injury (SCI) under the assumption that if the residual corticospinal circuits could be stimulated appropriately, the changes might be accompanied by functional recovery or an improvement in spasticity. This review summarizes the literature on the changes induced by NIBS in the motor and functional recovery and spasticity control of the upper and lower extremities following SCI.

The epidemiology of pre-hospital potential spinal cord injuries in Victoria, Australia: a six year retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI) is relatively uncommon, yet a devastating and costly condition. Despite the human and social impacts, studies describing patients with potential TSCI in the pre-hospital setting are scarce. This paper aims to describe the epidemiology of patients potentially at risk of or suspected to have a TSCI by paramedics, with a view to providing a better understanding of factors associated with potential TSCI.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of all adult patients managed and transported by Ambulance Victoria (AV) between 01 January 2007 and 31 December 2012 who, based on meeting pre-hospital triage protocols and criteria for spinal clearance, paramedic suspicion or spinal immobilisation, were classified to be at risk of or suspected to have a TSCI. Data was extracted from the AV data warehouse, including demographic details, trauma aetiology, paramedic assessment, management and other event characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 106,059cases were included in the study, representing 2.3 % of all emergency transports by AV. Subjects had a median age of 51 years (interquartile range; 29-78) and 52.4 % were males (95 % CI 52-52.7). Males were significantly younger than females (M: 43 years [26-65] vs. F: 64 years [36-84], p =0.001). Falls and traffic accidents were the leading causes of injuries, comprising 46.9 and 39.4 % of cases, respectively. Other causes included accidents due to sport, animals, industrial work and diving, as well as violence and hanging. 29.9 % of patients were transported to a Major Trauma Service (MTS). A proportion of 48.8 % of the study population met the Pre-hospital Major Trauma criteria.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to describe the epidemiology of potential TSCI in Australia and is based on a large, state-wide sample. It provides background knowledge and a baseline for future research, as well as a reference point for future in policy. Falling and traffic related injuries were the leading causes of potential SCI. Future research is required to identify the proportion of confirmed TSCI among the potentials and factors associated with TSCI in prehospital settings.

Outcome of laminoplasty in cervical spinal cord injury with stable spine

Background and Objective:

Cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) with a stable spine has been increasing as the elderly population is dramatically increasing all over the world. In this study, we evaluated the neurological outcome of decompression surgery (laminoplasty) for these patients.

Materials and Methods:

Forty-one patients with CSCI with stable spine who underwent decompression surgery (laminoplasty) were retrospectively studied. Inclusion criteria were as follows: CSCI without instability, spinal cord contusion in magnetic resonance image (MRI), spinal cord compression rate more than 20%, neurologic deficit American Spinal Cord Injury Association ([ASIA] scale from A to D), and follow-up of at least 12 months. Preoperative neurological state, clinical outcome, and neurological function were measured using the ASIA impairment scale, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) grading scale, and Hirabayashi recovering rate, respectively.

Results:

Thirty-three (80.4%) patients showed improvement in ASIA grade at 12-month follow-up. Four (9.7%) patients in ASIA Grade A and 4 (9.7%) patients in ASIA Grade D remain unchanged. The mean JOA score improved from 8.4 ± 6.1 points preoperatively to 11.2 ± 5.4 points at 12 months postoperatively. Improvement in JOA was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The mean Hirabayashi recovery rate was 37.4 ± 25.3%.

Conclusion:

Surgical decompression (laminoplasty) is helpful in relieving cord compromise and neurological deficit in CSCI with stable spine.

Surgical Management of the Elderly With Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

BACKGROUND

Aging of the population has modified the epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) as evidenced by the establishment of a bimodal distribution of injuries with increased frequency of fall-related injuries among the elderly.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the economic impact of older age (65 years of age and older), using a cost-utility analysis, in the context of acute surgical management and rehabilitation of traumatic cervical SCI, given the paucity of economic studies involving elderly individuals with SCI.

METHODS

The cost-utility analysis was performed from the perspective of a public health care insurer. A time horizon of 6 months from SCI onset was used. Costs were estimated in 2014 US dollars. Utilities were generated from the Surgical Timing in Acute Spinal Cord Injury study.

RESULTS

The baseline analysis indicated that surgical and rehabilitative management of acute cervical SCI in the elderly (n = 17) is costlier, but similarly effective, than that in younger adults (n = 47). When considering acute spinal surgical management and rehabilitation of younger adults with SCI as the baseline, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio analysis revealed an additional cost of $5 655 557 per quality-adjusted life-year gained when managing elderly patients with traumatic cervical SCI. The probabilistic analysis confirmed that spinal surgery in the elderly is costlier, but similarly effective, in younger adults after SCI, even though there is no definitive dominance.

CONCLUSION

This economic analysis indicates that surgical management and rehabilitation of acute traumatic cervical SCI in the elderly are costlier but similarly effective compared with younger adults with similar impairment.

Epidemiological study of traumatic spinal cord injuries: experience from a specialized spine center in Iran

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES

This study was performed for epidemiological assessment of Iranian Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries (TSCI), referred to a specialized spine center.

SETTING

Patient recruitment and evaluations were conducted at the Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran, Iran.

METHODS

This study was performed from September 2011 to March 2015 on 1137 consecutive TSCIs. History, clinicoradiological findings as well as chronic complications and social integration were recorded. The capture-recapture method was used to calculate a rough estimation of TSCI prevalence in Tehran Province.

RESULTS

Our report includes 1137 cases with a mean age of 29.1 years (s.d.=11.2 year)-79.2% of them being male (M/F=3.8/1). Rough estimation of TSCI prevalence in Tehran province was 2.36 per 10 000 population. Regarding etiology, 61.8% were due to motor vehicle accident (MVA), followed by falling 24.5%, heavy drop 5.2%, violence 3.8%, sport 2.8% and others causes 1.9%. Regarding injury level, 31.5% were cervical, 57.9% thoracic and 10.6% lumbar. Complete lesions were 53.5% of patients and 46.5% were incomplete. Most common neurological type was T1-S5 (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale: A, B, C, 61.7%). Most common complications included urinary tract infection followed by pressure sore (grade III and IV, 37.5%), autonomic dysreflexia (37%) and neuropathic pain (31.2%). Substance abuse was observed in 8.8% of cases. Overall, ~25% in our cases were employed after TSCI. Secondary divorce was also much more frequent than normal matched controls.

CONCLUSION

MVA was the most common cause for TSCI. The elderly subjects were less frequent among our patients than more developed countries. The high rate of unemployment and divorce in our cases deserves special consideration.

[Traumatic spinal cord injury in people over 65 in Asturias]

AIMS

to assess incidence, causes and socio-demographicaspects of traumatic spinal cord injury among patients over 65 in Asturias (Spain).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A census was performed between 1951 and 2013 of patients in Asturias, over 65 years-old coded as «traumatic spinal cord injury with or without vertebral fracture». Socio-demographic, hospital and clinical variables were recorded.

RESULTS

In total 180 patients were registered, most of them males (60%), with a mean age of 73 years (maximum 91). The estimated incidence in 2010 was found to be 24.9, in 2011, 28.9 and in 2012, 32.9 cases/million/year. The distribution in the type of injury was homogeneous and location in the cervical spine (40%) was found to be more common. There was bone injury in 71.4%, with multilevel injury in more than half of the cases. The main cause was accidental fall (52.1%), mainly at own height (68.6%), and most of them located in the cervical spine (38.5%), followed by traffic accidents with 57.6% located in the cervical spine.

CONCLUSIONS

A change was observed in the epidemiological profile of the patients over 65 years old with spinal cord injury. There were more cases associated with accidental fall. It is necessary to create specific preventive and therapeutic strategies for this group.

Developing quality of care indicators for patients with traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI): A feasibility study using administrative health data

OBJECTIVES

(1) to inform the development of health system quality indicators for traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury from acute care admission to community care discharge using administrative data, and (2) to examine characteristics and differences in care among type of care facility, and type of pathology using administrative data.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using administrative health data.

SETTING

Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Using administrative health data, we used International Classification codes 10(th) version Canadian Edition to identify incident cases of SCI from April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2012.

RESULTS

We identified 7,693 cases in our cohort, of whom 1,537 (20.0%) were categorized as traumatic spinal cord (TSCI) and 6,156 (80.0%) as non-traumatic (NTSCI). Of those identified with NTSCI, more than half (54.0%) were diagnosed with either Guillain Barré syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis (n = 3,326). More individuals admitted to a trauma/spine center were seen by an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon (20.3% compared to 5.6% for NTSCI; 77.7% compared to 24.9% for TSCI). Only 25.7% (n = 724) of the NTSCI cohort were admitted to a rehabilitation facility from a trauma/spine center, compared to 58.9% (n = 754) of those with TSCI.

CONCLUSIONS

Important challenges in data completeness and utility were identified. Province wide processes to flag incomplete data and provision of incentives for comprehensive data are urgently needed to develop quality indicators across the care continuum. Consensus on the coding for NTSCI for the purposes of developing health system indicators is required.

Experiences with Holistic Health Practices among Adults with Spinal Cord Injury

Purpose

To explore experiences with holistic practices (HP) by people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in British Columbia, Canada, including the types of HP they access and the reasons they utilize these forms of treatment.

Method

This was a qualitative study of 53 adults with SCI. Participants were engaged in semistructured interviews in focus-group and one-to-one settings. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify prominent themes.

Results

Eighty-seven percent of participants had accessed some form of HP. They reported a variety of reasons for accessing HP, such as symptom relief and the desire to avoid side effects of conventional therapy. Caregivers and healthcare providers had important roles in encouraging HP. The perceived benefits of HP included physical, emotional, and spiritual components. Barriers to access included logistics, time, and financial constraints. Participants frequently mentioned the use of marijuana as a form of relaxation and pain relief—this was a surprise finding because marijuana is generally not considered a form of HP.

Conclusion

Eighty-seven percent of the participants in our study were actively engaged in various efforts to improve their health, including the use of HP. Reasons for accessing HP were based on a desire to improve mental, emotional, and physical health as well as to provide hope. Participants chose HP to alleviate pain, boost the immune system, gain strength, improve physical appearance, enhance relaxation, improve mood, feel empowered, and more. Rehabilitation professionals may wish to inform themselves of the range of products and services incorporated in the HP spectrum, and of their potential benefits for SCI patients.

Spinal cord injury--incidence, prognosis, and outcome: an analysis of the TraumaRegister DGU

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Little is known about the incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) in polytrauma patients.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to analyze incidence, prognosis, and outcome of SCI in polytrauma patients.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

This is a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

A total of 57,310 patients of TraumaRegister DGU (2002-2012) of the German Trauma Society were included. Aim of this large multicentre database is a standardized documentation of severely injured patients.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Outcome measures were mortality and Glasgow Outcome 4Scale.

METHODS

Inclusion criteria were adult blunt trauma patients (age greater than 16 years) and injury severity score (ISS) greater than 16. The severity of SCI was based on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), and the outcome of patients was assessed with the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). Factors with an impact on the outcome were analyzed with a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

Four thousand two hundred eighty five (7.5%) of 57,310 patients sustained SCI. Mean age was 48.9±20.7 years, ISS 28.0±12, and 72.7% were men. Two thousand two hundred twenty two (3.9%) SCIs involved the cervical, 1,388 (2.4%) the thoracic, and 791 (1.4%) the lumbar spine. One hundred fifty-nine (7.2%) cervical spine injuries were associated with transient neurologic deficit (TND) (AIS 3), 612 (27.5%) with an incomplete paraplegia (AIS 4), 1,101 (49.6%) with a complete paraplegia (AIS 5), and 350 (15.8%) with a complete lesion above C3 (AIS 6). Lesions of the thoracic spine showed in 93 (6.7%) of the 1,388 lesions a TND (AIS 3), in 332 (23.9%) an incomplete paraplegia (AIS 4), and in 963 (69.4%) a complete lesion (AIS 5). In the lumbar region, lesions were distributed as follows: TND (AIS 3) 145 (18.3%), incomplete paraplegia (AIS 4) 305 (38.6%), and complete lesion 341 (43.1%). Sepsis and multiorgan failure were found more often in patients with AIS 5/6 lesions (p<.001). The hospital length of stay in SCIs was significantly longer. Most of the patients (85.8%) with SCI were treated in Level I trauma centers. Spinal cord injuries had a minor impact in the mortality. Only AIS 6 injuries resulted in a significantly higher mortality (64.6%). Adjusted logistic regression analysis (target variable: GOS 4 or 5, good outcome) showed that the following factors were significantly associated with an unfavorable outcome (p≤.02): AIS greater than or equal to 4, age greater than or equal to 60 years, resuscitation, severe head injury, shock on scene, and severity of injury (ISS per point).

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal cord injury with a neurologic deficit could be found in every 13th patient with polytrauma. Over half of the patients with SCI suffer from complete cord lesion. In polytrauma patients, SCI only has a limited influence on the mortality, with exception of AIS 6 lesions. Complications such as multiorgan failure or sepsis and extended hospital length of stay are more frequent in SCI.

Cell Therapy Augments Functional Recovery Subsequent to Spinal Cord Injury under Experimental Conditions

The spinal cord injury leads to enervation of normal tissue homeostasis ultimately leading to paralysis. Until now there is no proper cure for the treatment of spinal cord injury. Recently, cell therapy in animal spinal cord injury models has shown some progress of recovery. At present, clinical trials are under progress to evaluate the efficacy of cell transplantation for the treatment of spinal cord injury. Different types of cells such as pluripotent stem cells derived neural cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, neural stem cells, glial cells are being tested in various spinal cord injury models. In this review we highlight both the advances and lacuna in the field of spinal cord injury by discussing epidemiology, pathophysiology, molecular mechanism, and various cell therapy strategies employed in preclinical and clinical injury models and finally we discuss the limitations and ethical issues involved in cell therapy approach for treating spinal cord injury.

Should suspected cervical spinal cord injury be immobilised?: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Spinal cord injuries occur worldwide; often being life-threatening with devastating long term impacts on functioning, independence, health, and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

Systematic review of the literature to determine the efficacy of cervical spinal immobilisation (vs no immobilisation) in patients with suspected cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI); and to provide recommendations for prehospital spinal immobilisation.

METHODS

Searches were conducted of the Cochrane library, CINAHL, EMBASE, Pubmed, Scopus, Web of science, Google scholar, and OvidSP (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and DARE) databases. Studies were included if they were relevant to the research question, published in English, based in the prehospital setting, and included adult patients with traumatic injury.

RESULTS

The search identified 1471 citations, of which eight observational studies of variable quality were included. Four studies were retrospective cohorts, three were case series and one a case report. Cervical collar application was reported in penetrating trauma to be associated with unadjusted increased risk of mortality in two studies [(OR, 8.82; 95% CI, 1.09-194; p=0.038) & (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.35-3.13)], concealment of neck injuries in one study and increased scene time in another study. While, in blunt trauma, one study indicated that immobilisation might be associated with worsened neurological outcome (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.03-3.99; p=0.04, unadjusted). We did not attempt to combine study results due to significant heterogeneity of study design and outcome measures.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of high-level evidence on the effect of prehospital cervical spine immobilisation on patient outcomes. There is a clear need for large prospective studies to determine the clinical benefit of prehospital spinal immobilisation as well as to identify the subgroup of patients most likely to benefit.

Global prevalence and incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury

Background

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic event that impacts a patient’s physical, psychological, and social well-being and places substantial financial burden on health care systems. To determine the true impact of SCI, this systematic review aims to summarize literature reporting on either the incidence or prevalence of SCI.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, MEDLINE in process, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trial Register, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify relevant literature published through June 2013. We sought studies that provided regional, provincial/state, or national data on the incidence of SCI or reported estimates of disease prevalence. The level of evidence of each study was rated using a scale that evaluated study design, methodology, sampling bias, and precision of estimates.

Results

The initial search yielded 5,874 articles, 48 of which met the inclusion criteria. Forty-four studies estimated the incidence of SCI and nine reported the prevalence, with five discussing both. Of the incidence studies, 14 provided figures at a regional, ten at a state or provincial level and 21 at a national level. The prevalence of SCI was highest in the United States of America (906 per million) and lowest in the Rhone-Alpes region, France (250 per million) and Helsinki, Finland (280 per million). With respect to states and provinces in North America, the crude annual incidence of SCI was highest in Alaska (83 per million) and Mississippi (77 per million) and lowest in Alabama (29.4 per million), despite a large percentage of violence injuries (21.2%). Annual incidences were above 50 per million in the Hualien County in Taiwan (56.1 per million), the central Portugal region (58 per million), and Olmsted County in Minnesota (54.8 per million) and were lower than 20 per million in Taipei, Taiwan (14.6 per million), the Rhone-Alpes region in France (12.7 per million), Aragon, Spain (12.1 per million), Southeast Turkey (16.9 per million), and Stockholm, Sweden (19.5 per million). The highest national incidence was 49.1 per million in New Zealand, and the lowest incidences were in Fiji (10.0 per million) and Spain (8.0 per million). The majority of studies showed a high male-to-female ratio and an age of peak incidence of younger than 30 years old. Traffic accidents were typically the most common cause of SCI, followed by falls in the elderly population.

Conclusion

This review demonstrates that the incidence, prevalence, and causation of SCI differs between developing and developed countries and suggests that management and preventative strategies need to be tailored to regional trends. The rising aging population in westernized countries also indicates that traumatic SCI secondary to falls may become an increasing public health challenge and that incidence among the elderly may rise with increasing life expectancy.

The prehospital management of suspected spinal cord injury: an update

INTRODUCTION

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious condition that may lead to long-term disabilities placing financial and social burden on patients and their families, as well as their communities. Spinal immobilization has been considered the standard prehospital care for suspected SCI patients. However, there is a lack of consensus on its beneficial impact on patients' outcome.

OBJECTIVE

This paper reviews the current literature on the epidemiology of traumatic SCI and the practice of prehospital spinal immobilization.

DESIGN

A search of literature was undertaken utilizing the online databases Ovid Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. The search included English language publications from January 2000 through November 2012.

RESULTS

The reported annual incidence of SCI ranges from 12.7 to 52.2 per 1 million and occurs more commonly among males than females. Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the major reported causes of traumatic SCI among young and middle-aged patients, and falls are the major reported causes among patients older than 55. There is little evidence regarding the relationship between prehospital spinal immobilization and patient neurological outcomes. However, early patient transfer (8-24 hours) to spinal care units and effective resuscitation have been demonstrated to lead to better neurological outcomes.

CONCLUSION

This review reaffirms the need for further research to validate the advantages, disadvantages, and the effects of spinal immobilization on patients' neurological outcomes.

Incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury worldwide: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI) are among the most devastating conditions in developed and developing countries, which can be prevented. The situation of TSCI around the world is not well understood which complicates the preventive policy decision making in fight against TSCI. This study was aimed to gather the available information about incidence of TSCI around the world.

METHODS

A systematic search strategy was designed and run in Medline and EMBASE, along with extensive grey literature search, personal communications, website searching, and reference checking of related papers.

RESULTS

Overall, 133 resources including 101 papers, 17 trauma registries, 6 conference proceedings, 5 books, 2 theses and 2 personal communication data were retrieved. Data were found for 41 individual countries. The incidence of TSCI ranges from 3.6 to 195.4 patients per million around the world. Australia, Canada, US, and high-income European countries have various valuable reports of TSCI, while African and Asian countries lack the appropriate epidemiologic data on TSCI.

CONCLUSION

Data of epidemiologic information in TSCI are available for 41 countries of the world, which are mostly European and high-income countries. Researches and efforts should be made to gather information in developing and low-income countries to plan appropriate cost-effective preventive strategies in fight against TSCI.

Early predictors of health-related quality of life outcomes in polytrauma patients with spine injuries: a level 1 trauma center study

Study Design Retrospective review on clinical-quality trauma registry prospective data. Objective To identify early predictors of suboptimal health status in polytrauma patients with spine injuries. Methods A retrospective review on a prospective cohort was performed on spine-injured polytrauma patients with successful discharge from May 2009 to January 2011. The Short Form 12-Questionnaire Health Survey (SF-12) was used in the health status assessment of these patients. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were applied to investigate the effects of the Injury Severity Score, age, blood sugar level, vital signs, brain trauma severity, comorbidities, coagulation profile, spine trauma-related neurologic status, and spine injury characteristics of the patients. Results The SF-12 had a 52.3% completion rate from 915 patients. The patients who completed the SF-12 were younger, and there were fewer patients with severe spinal cord injuries (American Spinal Injury Association classifications A, B, and C). Other comparison parameters were satisfactorily matched. Multivariate logistic regression revealed five early predictive factors with statistical significance (p ≤ 0.05). They were (1) tachycardia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.88; confidence interval [CI] = 1.11 to 3.19), (2) hyperglycemia (OR = 2.65; CI = 1.51 to 4.65), (3) multiple chronic comorbidities (OR = 2.98; CI = 1.68 to 5.26), and (4) thoracic spine injuries (OR = 1.54; CI = 1.01 to 2.37). There were no independent early predictive factors identified for suboptimal mental health-related qualify of life outcomes. Conclusion Early independent risk factors predictive of suboptimal physical health status identified in a level 1 trauma center in polytrauma patients with spine injuries were tachycardia, hyperglycemia, multiple chronic medical comorbidities, and thoracic spine injuries. Early spine trauma risk factors were shown not to predict suboptimal mental health status outcomes.

Should suspected cervical spinal cord injuries be immobilised? A systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND

Cervical spinal cord injuries may result in life-threatening situations and long-term disability. Prehospital spinal immobilisation is the standard of care for patients with potential spinal cord injury (SCI). It aims to prepare patients for transport, achieve neutral spinal alignment, and reduce movement and secondary injuries in potentially unstable spines. However, there is a lack of evidence on its clinical benefits and its overall effect on patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the reported outcomes following immobilisation of suspected cervical SCI, to compare the effects of spinal immobilisation versus no immobilisation on the reported outcomes, and to provide recommendations for prehospital cervical immobilisation.

DESIGN/METHODS

A search of the literature will be conducted using relevant online databases. This will include all types of human studies that were published in English from the earliest record available to the first week of October 2013. One author will conduct the search and two independent authors will screen the titles and the abstracts identified by the search and critically appraise the selected papers. A third author will be available to resolve any disagreement. The findings will be reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines. Critical appraisal as well as the level and the strength of evidence will follow the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines.

DISCUSSION

Evidence-based practices should be pursued to further improve the prehospital care for suspected cervical SCI. This systematic review will contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the spinal immobilisation effects on the SCI patient's outcomes.

Are the characteristics of the patient with a spinal cord injury changing?

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective analytical study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the epidemiologic pattern of spinal cord injury (SCI) over the last decade.

SETTING

Patients admitted in the spinal cord injury unit at a university hospital between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2013.

METHODS

A review of the clinical history of the patients was conducted. Patients were allocated according to traumatic (traffic and non-traffic accidents) or non-traumatic origin (tumour and non-tumour disease). Information about gender, age, admission and discharge date and cause, level and grade of spinal cord injury was collected. An analysis using the time-trend series was performed.

RESULTS

The average length of stay decreases 1.5 days quarterly, and the average patient's age increases 0.25 year quarterly. No trend was observed with respect to the number of cases.

CONCLUSION

Although the number of patients with an SCI caused by an accident has decreased and the average age of patients with an SCI has increased, it cannot be said that there has been a paradigm shift in patients with SCI.

Global incidence and prevalence of traumatic spinal cord injury

This systematic review examines the incidence and prevalence of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in different countries worldwide and their trends over time. The literature search of the studies published between 1950 and 2012 captured 1,871 articles of which 64 articles on incidence and 13 articles on prevalence fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The global incidence of SCI varied from 8.0 to 246.0 cases per million inhabitants per year. The global prevalence varied from 236.0 to 1,298.0 per million inhabitants. In addition to regional differences regarding the prevalence rates of SCI across the globe, there has been a trend towards increasing prevalence rates over the last decades. Our results suggest a relatively broad variation of incidence and prevalence rates of SCI among distinctive geographic regions. These results emphasize the need for further studies on incidence and prevalence of SCI, and for international standards and guidelines for reporting on SCI.

Epidemiological trends of spine trauma: an Australian level 1 trauma centre study

Knowledge of current epidemiology and spine trauma trends assists in public resource allocation, fine-tuning of primary prevention methods, and benchmarking purposes. Data on all patients with traumatic spine injuries admitted to the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne between May 1, 2009, and January 1, 2011, were collected from the Alfred Trauma Registry, Alfred Health medical database, and Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry. Epidemiological trends were analyzed as a general cohort, with comparison cohorts of nonsurvivors versus survivors and elderly versus nonelderly. Linear regression analysis was utilized to demonstrate trends with statistical significance. There were 965 patients with traumatic spine injuries with 2,333 spine trauma levels. The general cohort showed a trimodal age distribution, male-to-female ratio of 2:2, motor vehicle accidents as the primary spine trauma mechanism, 47.7% patients with severe polytrauma as graded using the Injury Severity Score (ISS), 17.3% with traumatic brain injury (TBI), the majority of patients with one spine injury level, 7% neurological deficit rate, 12.8% spine trauma operative rate, and 5.2% mortality rate. Variables with statistical significance trending toward mortality were the elderly, motor vehicle occupants, severe ISS, TBI, C1-2 dissociations, and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) A, B, and C neurological grades. Variables with statistical significance trending toward the elderly were females; low falls; one spine injury level; type 2 odontoid fractures; subaxial cervical spine distraction injuries; ASIA A, B, and C neurological grades; and patients without neurological deficits. Of the general cohort, 50.3% of spine trauma survivors were discharged home, and 48.1% were discharged to rehabilitation facilities. This study provides baseline spine trauma epidemiological data. The trimodal age distribution of patients with traumatic spine injuries calls for further studies and intervention targeted toward the 46- to 55-year age group as this group represents the main providers of financial and social security. The study's unique feature of delineating variables with statistical significance trending toward both mortality and the elderly also provides useful data to guide future research studies, benchmarking, public health policy, and efficient resource allocation for the management of spine trauma.

Epidemiology of spinal fractures among the elderly in Chongqing, China

OBJECTIVE

To illustrate the epidemiology of spinal fractures including traumatic spinal fractures and osteoporotic spinal fracture with no specific cause, spinal fracture caused by tumour and tuberculosis among the elderly.

DESIGN

We retrospectively reviewed hospital records on all patients who was 60 years of age or older with spinal fracture at two university-affiliated hospitals between January 2001 and May 2011 (n=996). Variables assessed included age, gender, incidence of hospital admission, mechanism of spinal fracture, anatomic distribution, neurologic deficit, therapeutic method, length of hospitalisation and hospitalisation cost.

SETTING

Two university-affiliated hospitals from January 2001 to May 2011.

RESULTS

A total of 996 patients with spinal fractures were identified, of whom 34.8% were males. The annual incidence of spinal fractures among the elderly was 24 cases per 100,000 hospital admission in 2001 and then gradually increased to 130 cases per 100,000 hospital admission in 2010. The causes of spinal fractures include traumatic spinal fractures (n=714, 71.7%), osteoporotic fracture with no specific cause (n=264, 26.5%) and spinal fracture caused by tumour and tuberculosis (n=18, 1.8%). The lumbar region was the most common region of spinal fracture (n=823, 48.8%), followed by the thoracic (n=724, 43.0%) and the cervical (n=138, 8.2%) regions. Lumbar spinal fractures and thoracic spinal fractures were more commonly seen as a result of accidental falls from low heights and osteoporotic spinal fractures respectively. Thirty-five (3.5%) patients exhibited a complete motor and sensory deficit and 151 (15.2%) an incomplete neurological deficit. The greatest number of complete motor and sensory neurological deficits was associated with cervical spinal fractures and accidental falls. A total of 87 (8.7%) patients had associated non-spinal injuries, of whom 26 (29.9%) sustained a head and neck injury, 28 (32.2%) patients suffered a thoracic injury and 19 (21.8%) patients suffered a fracture of a lower extremity.

CONCLUSION

Spinal fractures usually occur outdoors causing by accidental falls from low heights, most frequently happen on the road. The number of fall-induced injuries and sports injury increased steadily with age, may indicate that there is growing concern for the consequences of falls and sports in the elderly.

Epidemiology of traumatic spinal fractures: experience from medical university-affiliated hospitals in Chongqing, China, 2001-2010

OBJECT

The main objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological data obtained from patients with traumatic spinal fracture at 2 university-affiliated hospitals in Chongqing, China.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of all patients who suffered traumatic spinal fracture and were treated at Xinqiao Hospital and Southwest Hospital (both affiliated with The Third Military Medical University) between January 2001 and December 2010. The demographic characteristics, injury characteristics, and clinical outcomes of patients over this 10-year period were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 3142 patients (mean age 45.7 years, range 1-92 years) with traumatic spinal fractures were identified; 65.5% of the patients were male. The peak frequency of these injuries occurred in the 31- to 40-year-old age group. Accidental falls and traffic accidents were the most common causes of spinal fractures (58.9% and 20.9%, respectively). Traffic accidents tended to occur in younger patients, whereas accidental falls tended to occur in older patients. The most common area of fracture was the thoracolumbar spine (54.9%). Cervical spinal fractures were significantly more common in patients injured in traffic accidents, while lumbar spinal fractures were more common in accidental fall patients. Using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification, 479 (15.3%) patients were classified as having ASIA A injuries; 913 (29.1%), ASIA B, ASIA C, or ASIA D; and 1750 (55.7%), ASIA E. ASIA A injuries were more common in patients who suffered thoracic spinal fractures (15.09%) than in those with fractures in other areas of the spine. A total of 954 (30.4%) patients had associated nonspinal injuries. Of these patients, 389 (40.78%) suffered a thoracic injury, and 191 (20.02%) sustained a head and neck injury. The length of hospitalization differed significantly between the accidental falls from high heights and falls from low heights, as did the mean cost of hospitalization (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found between accidental falls from high heights and traffic accidents (p > 0.05). The length of hospitalization differed significantly among the 3 groups according to the ASIA classification, as did the mean cost of hospitalization (p < 0.05). Of patients with incomplete lesions, 39.3% improved 1 or more grades in ASIA classification during hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Accidental falls emerged as the leading cause of traumatic spinal fracture in this study, and the numbers of fall-induced and sports-related injuries increased steadily with age. These results indicate that there should be increased concern for the consequences of fall- and sports-related injuries among the elderly.

Estudo clínico epidemiológico das fraturas da coluna vertebral

OBJETIVO: Realizar um levantamento epidemiológico das fraturas da coluna vertebral. MÉTODOS: Estudo de revisão de prontuário, retrospectivo analisando dados clínicos e epidemiológicos no período de 1991 a 2010. Foram avaliados dados como: idade, sexo, procedência, escala de Frankel admissional, mecanismo de trauma, tipo de fratura, tratamento e complicações, nos prontuários de 1.917 pacientes submetidos a tratamento de fraturas da coluna vertebral. O teste do qui-quadrado foi utilizado para comparação entre as variáveis discretas e o teste t Student foi utilizado no caso de variáveis contínuas, adotando níveis de significância de p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos pacientes era do gênero masculino (85,2%), média de idade de 34 anos, procedência urbana (69,2%), sendo o mecanismo de trauma a queda de altura (40,4%). Quando a causa for mergulho em águas rasas, está associada a lesões na região cervical, pacientes mais jovens e tende a produzir déficit neurológico. As fraturas isoladas aconteceram em 75,6% dos casos, afetando mais o nível L1 (11,4%), sendo que o tratamento cirúrgico foi indicado em 88,2%, sem complicações pós-operatórias na maioria dos casos (61,7%). CONCLUSÃO: Os autores sugerem mudanças principalmente na área habitacional, com campanhas educacionais preventivas e orientações para jovens que gostam de fazer atividades recreativas como mergulho em água rasa.

Impact of impairment and secondary health conditions on health preference among Canadians with chronic spinal cord injury

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVES

To describe the relationships between secondary health conditions and health preference in a cohort of adults with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional telephone survey.

SETTING

Community.

PARTICIPANTS

Community-dwelling adult men and women (N = 357) with chronic traumatic and non-traumatic SCI (C1-L3 AIS A-D) who were at least 1 year post-injury/onset.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Health Utilities Index-Mark III (HUI-Mark III) and SCI Secondary Conditions Scale-Modified (SCS-M).

RESULTS

SCS-M responses for different secondary health conditions were used to create "low impact = absent/mild" and "high impact = moderate/significant" secondary health condition groups. Analysis of covariance was used to examine differences in HUI-Mark III scores for different secondary health conditions while controlling for impairment. The mean HUI-Mark III was 0.24 (0.27, range, -0.28 to 1.00). HUI-Mark III scores were lower (P < 0.001) in high impact groups for spasms, bladder and bowel dysfunction, urinary tract infections, autonomic dysreflexia, circulatory problems, respiratory problems, chronic pain, joint pain, psychological distress, and depression compared with the low impact groups. As well, HUI-Mark III scores were lower (P < 0.05) in high impact groups for pressure sores, unintentional injuries, contractures, heterotopic bone ossification, sexual dysfunction, postural hypotension, cardiac problems, and neurological deterioration than low-impact groups.

CONCLUSION

High-impact secondary health conditions are negatively associated with health preference in persons with SCI. Although further work is required, the HUI-Mark III data may be a useful tool for calculating quality-adjusted life years, and advocating for additional resources where secondary health conditions have substantial adverse impact on health.

Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in Asia: a systematic review

STUDY DESIGN

A systematic review.

BACKGROUND

The number of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) reports grows annually, especially in China and Korea. The epidemiological characteristics of TSCI in Asia differ from those in other countries. Thus, we compiled epidemiological factors from Asia to compare with those from other countries.

METHOD

We searched articles published in any language between January 1980 to December 2011 using the terms "spinal cord injury", "traumatic spinal cord injury", "epidemiology", and "Asia". The articles were reviewed for information regarding TSCI incidence, total cases, case criteria, case source, causes of injury, male/female ratio, mean age, prospective or retrospective, neurological level of injury, extent of injury, and America Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS)/grade.

RESULTS

Epidemiological data were extracted from 39 reports in the published literature that met the inclusion criteria. Only two studies reported prevalence rates. Incidence rates ranged from 12.06 to 61.6 per million. The average age ranged from 26.8 to 56.6 years old. Men were at higher risk than women. Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) and falls were the main causes of TSCI. However, several countries reported war wounds as the major cause. The neurological level and extent of injury were mixed, and most patients were categorized as AIS/Frankel grade A.

CONCLUSION

TSCI is an important public health problem and a major cause of paralysis. We must understand the epidemiology to implement appropriate preventative measures. Asian epidemiology is different from that in other regions, so intervention measures must be established according to population-specific characteristics.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries--incidence, mechanisms and course

BACKGROUND

The primary purpose of this article is to provide an overview of demography, neurological level of injury, extent of lesion, incidence, prevalence, injury mechanisms as well as lethality and causes of death associated with traumatic spinal cord injuries.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A literature search was carried out in PubMed, with the search words "traumatic spinal cord injury"/"traumatic spinal cord injuries" together with "epidemiology", and "spinal cord injury"/"spinal cord injuries" together with "epidemiology".

RESULTS

The reported annual incidence of traumatic spinal cord injuries varies from 2.3 per million in a study from Canada to 83 per million in Alaska. The prevalence is given as ranging from 236 per million in India to 1800 per million in the USA. The average age at the time of injury varies from 26.8 years in Turkey to 55.5 years in the USA. The ratio of men to women varies from 0.9 in Taiwan to 12.0 in Nigeria. The most frequent cause of injury is traffic accidents, followed by falls, violence and sports/leisure activity incidents. Patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries have a higher lethality than the normal population. The most frequent causes of death today are airway problems, heart disease and suicide.

INTERPRETATION

There are large geographical differences in reported incidence, prevalence and lethality. This is attributable to differences in definition, inclusion, classification and patient identification procedures in the various studies, together with geographical and cultural differences and differences in prehospital and hospital treatment.