title: [Rehabilitation programme using neuromuscular electrical stimulation in spinal cord: epidemiological aspects].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess epidemiological profile of spinal cord injury outpatients which have been participating of rehabilitation programme using neuromuscular electrical stimulation, in order to implement campaigns for preventing spinal cord trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January to April 2009, 30 patients at the spinal cord injury ambulatory clinic at Hospital das Clínicas of Unicamp were analysed by some epidemiologic characteristics: age, profession, type and level of their paralysis, origin and time of injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had complete spinal cord injury (ASIA); 24 patients were men and six were women, the mean age was 34.6 years (range, 10-64 years), two patients were children. Twenty-one patients were paraplegic and nine were tetraplegic; causes included automobile accident (12), run over (three), diving (four), bicycle accident (one), motorcycle accident (three), gunshot wound (six), thoracic tuberculosis (one), and lumbar surgery (one). The mean lesion time was 8.2 years (range, 1-15 years). Two patients were retired.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that spinal cord injury affects mainly young active men. It is necessary to develop incisive actions to prevent accidents, specially directed to traffic security.
authors.affiliation: Departamentos de Ortopedia e de Engenharia Elétrica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cíntia Kelly
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Bittar
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cliquet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult