title: Neurological and functional recovery in tuberculosis patients with spinal cord injury in The Netherlands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal tuberculosis (TB) accounts for approximately 1% to 3% of all TB cases and it can cause a wide range of neurological symptoms, from none to a complete spinal cord injury (SCI), resulting in complete paraplegia or tetraplegia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the functional and neurological outcome of SCI caused by TB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data on the admission period was combined with prospectively collected data on long-term follow-up. Primary outcome was neurological outcome in terms of motor function. Secondary outcome measures were functional outcome in terms of level of independence and community participation. Results were compared to the outcome in patients with SCI due to trauma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six TB patients with complete motor SCI (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) A or B) were compared to eighteen patients with traumatic SCI. Most TB patients regained almost full neurological function (median motor score improved from 50 to 100), and reached high levels of independence, whereas trauma patients did not improve neurologically (median motor score remained 50) and reached a plateau in level of independence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCI due to tuberculosis in the Netherlands shows remarkable improvement in both neurological and functional outcome, especially compared with traumatic SCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eva M N
authors.initials: EMN
authors.lastname: Wouda
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ymkje
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stienstra
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tjip S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: van der Werf
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Huib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kerstjens
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Tuberculosis Center Beatrixoord, Haren, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wiel C M
authors.initials: WCM
authors.lastname: de Lange
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Spine Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coppes
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Spine Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuijlen
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marga
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tepper
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Tuberculosis Center Beatrixoord, Haren, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Onno W
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Akkerman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Tuberculosis; rehabilitation; spinal cord injuries; spinal tuberculosis; treatment outcome