Article

OBJECTIVES: To update the incidence rate, aetiology and injury characteristics of
acutely-injured adults with traumatic spinal cord injury in Stockholm, Sweden,
using international standards of reporting. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, (regional)
population-based observation. SUBJECTS: Forty-nine consecutively enrolled
individuals. METHODS: A surveillance system of newly-injured adults with
traumatic spinal cord injury was implemented for an 18-month period. The
International Spinal Cord Injury Core Data Set was used to collect data on those
who survived the first 7 days post-injury. RESULTS: After an 18-month period, 49
incident cases were registered, of whom 45 were included in this study. The crude
incidence rate was 19.0 per million, consisting mainly of men (60%), and the mean
age of the cohort was 55 years (median 58). Causes of injury were almost
exclusively limited to falls and transport-related events, accounting for 58% and
40% of cases, respectively.
The incidence has remained stable when compared with
the previous study; however, significant differences exist for injury aetiology
(p = 0.004) and impairment level (p = 0.01) in that more fall- and
transport-related spinal cord injury occurred, and a larger proportion of persons
was left with resultant tetraplegia, in the current study, compared with more
sport-related injuries and those left with paraplegia in the previous study.
CONCLUSION: The incidence rate appeared to remain stable in Stockholm, Sweden.
However, significant changes in injury aetiology and impairment-level post injury
were found, compared with the previous study. There remains a need for developing
fall-related prevention strategies in rehabilitation settings as well as in population-based programmes.

Langue : ANGLAIS