Spinal infarction. A follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
Ten patients with spinal cord infarction were followed up after 1 to 27 (median, 3) years to establish the sequelae of the disease in the long term.


METHODS
Eight surviving patients were interviewed about mobility, pain, and activities of daily living. All 8 patients had residual weakness in the legs; 7 of them were able to live at home without professional help. All but 1 suffered from continuous pain, which was not dependent on the degree of weakness.


CONCLUSIONS
Motor function had improved to some extent in all patients, but pain is a disabling feature in the long term.
Pelser
H
H
University Department of Neurology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
van Gijn
J
J
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires