title: [Spinal cord injury in patients over 65 years of age].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physically active population over 65 years old is increasing, they are at risk of falls and spinal cord injury in a range of age with significant presence of chronic pathology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the incidence, type of injury, associated complications and functional recovey of spinal cord injury in patients over 65 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective descriptive study about patients over 65 years admitted in Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos with spinal cord injury from January 2010 to December 2011. Demographic and lesion data, complications during admission and fuctional recovery measured with SCIM III (Spinal Cord Independence Measure) and WISCI II scales (Walking Index Spinal Cord Injury) were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  111 patients were included, mean age was 72.5 years, 33.3% were cervical injury and 66.7% were incomplete injuries, medical disease was more frequent than traumatic disease. Only 5% did not present other associated diseases. Up to 97% suffered some complications. SCIM III average was 42 points and only 35% got walking function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been an increase in aging spinal cord injury patients in recent years. Unlike general population traumatic etiology is not more frequent than medical. Incomplete injuries are common and usually associated with more comorbility, getting poorer functional recovery despite neurological improvement.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos, 45071 Toledo, Espana.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Varela-Lage
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alcobendas-Maestro
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Luque-Ríos
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esclarín-De Ruz
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Talavera-Díaz
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceruelo-Abajo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology