Outcomes Following Ischemic Myelopathies and Traumatic Spinal Injury

Background: As the general population ages, the rising prevalence of vascular lesions of the spinal cord will become significant. Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the neurological and functional outcomes of patients with ischemic spinal cord injury (ISCI) and traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a spinal cord unit of 2 rehabilitation hospitals. We studied 168 patients with a TSCI and 72 with an ISCI. At admission and discharge, patients were evaluated by American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) standards and Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM). Length of stay, occurrence of complications, and discharge dispositions were also recorded. Linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze the effects of the etiology of the lesion, AIS level at admission, and level of the lesion. Results: Patients with an ISCI were older and experienced fewer cervical lesions and fewer complete lesions than patients with TSCI. By linear an...