title: Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in Galicia, Spain: trends over a 20-year period.
abstract: METHODS
  Observational study with prospective and retrospective monitoring.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiological and demographic characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), and to analyze its epidemiological changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, in Galicia (Spain).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included patients with TSCI who had been hospitalized between January 1995 and December 2014. Relevant data were extracted from the admissions registry and electronic health record.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1195 patients with TSCI were admitted over the specified period of time; 76.4% male and 23.6% female. Mean patient age at injury was 50.20 years. Causes of injury were falls (54.2%), traffic accidents (37%), sports/leisure-related accidents (3.5%) and other traumatic causes (5.3%). Mean patient age increased significantly over time (from 46.40 to 56.54 years), and the number of cases of TSCI related to traffic accidents decreased (from 44.5% to 23.7%), whereas those linked to falls increased (from 46.9% to 65.6%). The most commonly affected neurological level was the cervical level (54.9%), increasing in the case of levels C1-C4 over time, and the most frequent ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) grade was A (44.3%). The crude annual incidence rate was 2.17/100 000 inhabitants, decreasing significantly over time at an annual percentage rate change of -1.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence rate of TSCI tends to decline progressively. Mean patient age has increased over time and cervical levels C1-C4 are currently the most commonly affected ones. These epidemiological changes will eventually result in adjustments in the standard model of care for TSCI.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), Coruña, Spain.|Departamento de Medicina, Universidade da Coruña, Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montoto-Marqués
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ferreiro-Velasco
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvador-de la Barrera
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Epidemiología Clínica y Bioestadística. INIBIC, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balboa-Barreiro
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Sotillo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, Universidade da Coruña. INIBIC, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meijide-Failde
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult