Article

OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare epidemiologic characteristics and clinical
outcomes of patients with nontraumatic spinal cord dysfunction according to
etiology. DESIGN: Retrospective, multicenter open-cohort case series. SETTING:
Spinal rehabilitation units (SRUs) in 9 countries. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=956;
men, 60.8%; median age, 59.0y [interquartile range, 46-70.0y]; paraplegia, n=691
[72.3%]) with initial onset of spinal cord dysfunction consecutively admitted
between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2010. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Etiology of spinal cord dysfunction, demographic
characteristics, length of stay (LOS) in rehabilitation, pattern of spinal cord
dysfunction onset, discharge destination, level of spinal cord damage, and the
American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade on admission and
discharge. RESULTS: The most common etiologies were degenerative (30.8%),
malignant tumors (16.2%), infections (12.8%), ischemia (10.9%), benign tumors
(8.7%), other vascular (8.5%), and other conditions (12.1%). There were major
differences in epidemiologic characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients
with different etiologies of spinal cord dysfunction. Paraplegia was more common
in patients with a malignant tumor and vascular etiologies, while tetraplegia was
more common in those with a degenerative etiology, a benign tumor, and
infections. Patients with a malignant tumor tended to have the shortest LOS in
the SRU, while those with a vascular etiology tended to have the longest. Except
for patients with a malignant tumor, all patient groups had a significant change
in their AIS grade between admission and discharge. CONCLUSIONS: This
international study of spinal cord dysfunction showed substantial variation
between the different etiologies regarding demographic and clinical
characteristics, including changes in AIS between admission and discharge.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS