Cervical spinal cord injury complicating ankylosing spondylitis.
Within a period of 12 years 466 patients with acute spinal cord injury were admitted to our Centre, seven of these having ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A history of alcohol consumption preceding the accident was present in five patients, and in four there was a history of neurological deterioration before their admission. An epidural hematoma was found in one patient and four expired within 3 months of their injury. The incidence of ankylosing spondylitis in cervical cord injury was 1.5%, and an associated epidural hematoma was present in some 14% of the patients. The mortality rate was 57%. There was a high incidence of alcoholic use before the accident. Neurological deterioration commonly occurred before admission.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications*