Stroke in the spinal cord injured.
Advances in treatment of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) have contributed to prolongation of their life expectancy. As a result, this population is becoming more prone to the diseases commonly associated with advanced age and a sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the SCI population has an increased incidence of stroke, and to identify stroke risk factors unique to SCI patients. A retrospective, computer assisted medical chart review of all admissions from 1980 to 1990 was conducted. Of more than one thousand patients who had a stroke and two thousand paraplegic/quadriplegic patients, we identified only two instances involving stroke in patients with traumatic SCI. We conclude that the SCI population does not appear to have a higher incidence of stroke, although further prospective studies involving a larger patient population are recommended. Possible protective factors and causes for under-reporting stroke in the SCI population are discussed.
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University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
Odderson
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D000328:Adult; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*