Original Article

Spinal Cord (2009) 47, 339–344; doi:10.1038/sc.2008.127; published online 11 November 2008

Characteristics, length of stay and functional outcome of patients with spinal cord injury in Dutch and Flemish rehabilitation centres

R Osterthun1, M W M Post1,2 and F W A van Asbeck1 on behalf of the Dutch-Flemish Spinal Cord Society

  1. 1Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat, Utrecht, The Netherlands
  2. 2Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Correspondence: Dr FWA van Asbeck, Spinal Cord Unit, RC De Hoogstraat, Rembrandtkade 10, Utrecht NL3583TM, The Netherlands. E-mail: f.v.asbeck@dehoogstraat.nl

Received 7 November 2007; Revised 19 August 2008; Accepted 15 September 2008; Published online 11 November 2008.

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Abstract

Study design:

 

Multi-centre prospective descriptive study.

Objective:

 

To establish a profile of the population affected with traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) admitted to rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium) and to describe determinants of length of stay (LOS) and functional outcome.

Setting:

 

Eleven rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands and Flanders.

Patients:

 

A total of 919 patients with traumatic and non-traumatic SCI on first admission to rehabilitation centres between 2002 and 2007.

Methods:

 

Information about LOS, functional outcome and personal and injury characteristics was derived from a joint data set developed for this project.

Results:

 

A total of 54.7% of patients with SCI had a non-traumatic lesion. The group of patients with non-traumatic SCI showed a more even gender distribution, a more advanced age and less severe lesion characteristics than the group of patients with traumatic SCI. Linear regression models explained 32% of the variance of LOS and 42% of the variance of functional outcome. Functional status on admission was the strongest determinant of LOS and completeness of the lesion was the strongest determinant of functional outcome. Aetiology (traumatic versus non-traumatic) was a weak independent determinant of LOS but was not an independent determinant of functional outcome.

Conclusion:

 

Patients with non-traumatic SCI formed a majority in the Dutch and Flemish SCI population. Although the characteristics of patients with traumatic and non-traumatic SCI clearly differed, rehabilitation of patients with non-traumatic SCI appears at least as efficient as rehabilitation of patients with traumatic SCI.

Keywords:

rehabilitation, spinal cord injuries, epidemiology, length of stay, outcome

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