title: [Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in Gran Canaria].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the epidemiological and clinical trends in acute traumatic spinal cord injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted of traumatic spinal cord injury patients in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) from 2000 to 2014. Demographic and spinal injury severity trends were analysed by year of injury grouped into 3 periods: 2000-2005, 2006-2010, and 2011-2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample included 141 patients. The mean incidence for the entire period was 12 cases/million/year. There was a decrease in cases in the second and third period. While the male/female ratio was 3.8/1 and was maintained in all periods, the mean patient age increased from 38.8 in 2000-5 to 54.5 years in 2011-4 (P<.05). Falls have been the leading cause of spinal cord injury (48.2%), followed by traffic accidents (37.6%). Falls have increased, especially in the older population. Incomplete tetraplegia has been the most prevalent group (30.5%). A vertebral fracture was suffered by 70.3% of all patients, with 93.2% of them requiring surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been a decrease in the incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury in recent years. The target population has changed, and the older population is currently the most affected. This reality suggests the need to change the local prevention campaigns for spinal cord injury in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Servicio de Rehabilitación, Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España. Electronic address: ebb31604@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bárbara-Bataller
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Servicio de Rehabilitación, Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Méndez-Suárez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Servicio de Rehabilitación, Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alemán-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Lorenzo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias, Grupo de Investigación en osteoporosis y metabolismo mineral, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sosa-Henríquez
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D004242:Diving / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aetiology; Epidemiology; Epidemiología; Etiología; Incidence; Incidencia; Lesión medular traumática; Traumatic spinal cord injury