Current use of methylprednisolone for acute spinal cord injury in Poland: survey study.
OBJECTIVE
The controversial practice of methylprednisolone (MP) application in acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) is gradually decreasing. This is a survey study designed to assess the current use of MP in ASCI in Poland.


METHODS
The questionnaire comprised of five questions was distributed among 251 spinal surgeons, members of the Polish Society of Spinal Surgery. One hundred and ten (43.8 %) responded, and data from 108 were included in the study.


RESULTS
Majority of respondents (73.1 %) declared the use of MP in ASCI. Most of them (41.7 %) adhered to the NASCIS II protocol, and 24.1 % rather used the NASCIS III protocol. Predominant rationale for the use of steroids was fear of litigation (36.7 %), 30.4 % declared it is as an institutional standard, nearly one-third believed in the effectiveness of drug in improving neurological outcomes. The subgroup analyses revealed no statistically significant interaction for specialty, age, personal involvement in care and institutional case volume.


CONCLUSIONS
As opposed to the literature data from similar studies performed in other countries, the rate of use of MP in ASCI remains high.
Department of Neurosurgery, Specialist Medical Center, ul. Jana Pawla II 2, 57-320, Polanica-Zdroj, Poland, gmiekisiak@gmail.com.
Grzegorz
G
Miekisiak
Wojciech
W
Kloc
Witold
W
Janusz
Jacek
J
Kaczmarczyk
Dariusz
D
Latka
Daniel
D
Zarzycki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone