title: Long-term outcome after spinal cord infarctions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate long-term outcome in patients with spontaneous spinal cord infarctions and secondly to compare outcome with that of patients with cerebral infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study includes 30 patients with spinal cord infarction discharged between 1995 and 2010. Surviving patients were contacted by telephone and sent a questionnaire. Data on employment, function, depression, fatigue, pain, and quality of life were obtained and compared to similar data obtained from a group of patients with cerebral infarction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven patients with spinal cord infarction had died after a mean follow-up of 7.1 years. Mortality was associated with poor functioning in the acute phase. Thirteen of 20 responding patients were able to walk. Compared to patients with cerebral infarction, patients with spinal cord infarction had significantly lower mortality, poorer functioning, higher re-employment rate, and more pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many patients with spinal cord infarction experience significant improvement. Even though functional outcome is worse, the mortality rate is lower and the frequency of re-employment higher among patients with spinal cord infarction compared to patients with cerebral infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rekand
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naess
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cerebrovascular diseases; quality of life; spinal cord disorders