Article

OBJECTIVES: To review
trends in the incidence, prevalence, demographic characteristics, etiology,
injury severity and selected treatment outcomes of traumatic spinal cord injury
(SCI).Setting:International review and US model systems cohort. METHODS: An
extensive literature review was conducted to identify all relevant studies of
descriptive epidemiology of traumatic SCI. This review was supplemented by
analyses of trends in US SCI epidemiology that are reflected in the National
Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center and Shriners Hospital Spinal Cord Injury
databases. RESULTS: Incidence and prevalence of traumatic SCI in the United
States are higher than in the rest of the world. Average age at injury is
increasing in accordance with an aging general population at risk. The proportion
of cervical injuries is increasing, whereas the proportion of neurologically
complete injuries is decreasing. Injuries due to falls are increasing. Recent
gains in general population life expectancy are not reflected in the SCI
population. Treatment outcomes are changing as a result of increasing age and
changes in US health care delivery. CONCLUSION: Within the prevalent population,
the percentage of elderly persons will not increase meaningfully until the high
mortality rates observed among older persons significantly improve. Those who
reach older ages will typically have incomplete and/or lower level injuries, and
will have relatively high degrees of independence and overall good health.

Langue : ANGLAIS