Early rehabilitation effect for traumatic spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the natural course of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and the effect of early rehabilitation on it.


METHODS
A retrospective, multicenter study.


METHODS
Sixteen Rosai hospitals and 1 medical school.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-three SCI patients (104 men, 19 women; mean age, 48.8 +/- 17.7yr) enrolled.


METHODS
Dividing the subjects into an early rehabilitation group and a delayed group; differences were ensured by international classification of SCI.


METHODS
Using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classifications, the motor recovery rate (MRR) was defined as (ASIA motor score at discharge - ASIA motor score at admission)/(100 - ASIA motor score at admission). The regression lines for FIM instrument score and ASIA motor score were determined for 6 subgroups (early or delayed tetraplegia, central cord injury, paraplegia) by the MRR staging. The regression lines for physical or cognitive FIM score and ASIA motor score were also determined for 6 subgroups.


RESULTS
Three stages were obtained: acute stage: 2 weeks postinjury; recovery stage: 2 weeks to 6 months postinjury; and chronic stage: more than 6 months postinjury. Regression lines showed that rehabilitation improved physical functional independence for ASIA motor score, especially in the early rehabilitation subgroups. There was no correlation between cognitive FIM score and ASIA motor score in 6 subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
Early SCI rehabilitation contributes to good physical activities of daily living for motor function.
Sumida
M
M
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kansai Rosai Hospital, Amagasaki City, Japan.
Fujimoto
M
M
Tokuhiro
A
A
Tominaga
T
T
Magara
A
A
Uchida
R
R
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome