Acute central cervical cord injury: the effect of age upon prognosis.
In this clinical study, a total of 89 consecutive patients with acute cervical cord injury was analysed retrospectively. There were 29 patients aged 60 years and over, accounting for 32.6% of all the cases. All the patients were followed up from 1 to 15 years, with an average of 6 years and 4 months. Among the patients of 60 years and over, 27 (93.1%) had both upper and lower extremities involved, compared with 40 (66.7%) of those under 60 years (P<0.05). Also among the older group, 24 had radiographic findings of severe cervical spinal degeneration, a higher incidence than in the patients under 60 years (P<0.05). There were two deaths in patients of 60 years and older. The average American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scores in both the younger and older groups at final follow-up were significantly larger (P<0.01) than on admission, but the age of the patients was negatively correlated with the ASIA scores both on admission (P<0.05) and at final follow-up (P<0.01). The ASIA score was significantly lower (P<0.01) in patients aged 60 years and over than in those younger than 60 years both on admission and at final follow-up. Patients aged 60 years and over with acute central cervical cord injury have a poorer prognosis although they may experience significant neurological improvement.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, 200092, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. lydai@ihw.com.cn
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D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*