Other

Tator et al. 1993
N=201

Toronto,
Canada

1974-1981
First 220 admissions to Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit in Toronto.
Exclusion Criteria: Admissions >30 days after injury; spinal injuries without cord involvement; nerve root involvement only; penetrating injuries; injuries below L2; Patients who died on scene or upon arrival.

Males=79.6%
Mean age=34.5 years
Median age=27.0 years

Cervical=63.2%, Thoracic=16.9%, Thoraco-lumbar=19.9%
Complete=46.2%, Incomplete=53.8%

Other:
10.5 (n=21)

Acton et al. 1993
N=644

Arkansas, USA

1980-1989
Arkansas residents in Arkansas State Spinal Cord Commission registry.
Exclusion Criteria:
Lesions caused by degenerative disease; people who died at scene.

Males =80%
Mean age males=32.4 years
Mean age females=35.4 years

Tetraplegia=13
Paraplegia=19

Struck by object:
5.3% (n=34)

Price et al. 1994
N=376

Oklahoma,
USA

1988-1990
SCI cases in Oklahoma statewide multilevel surveillance system
Exclusion Criteria:
Non Oklahoma residents; patients who died at scene; injuries to nerve roots or spinal plexus.

Males=80%
15-19 years
=66 (18%)
20-29 years
=110 (29%)
30-59 years
=145 (39%)
≥60 years
=43 (11%)
Mortality=30 (8%)

Complete tetraplegia=55 (15%),
Incomplete tetraplegia
=157 (42%)
Complete paraplegia=59 (16%),
Incomplete paraplegia
=105 (28%)

Struck by object:
4.3% (n=16)

Other:
4.0% (n=15)

Calancie et al. 2005
N=229

Dade County, Florida, USA

Acute traumatic spine and/or spinal cord injury admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital

Male = 74.6%
Average age at injury= 40.0±17.5 years
15 children

ASIA A = 32.8% (75)
ASIA B = 4.8% (11)
ASIA C = 24.0% (55)
ASIA D = 31.5% (72)
ASIA E = 7.0% (7.4)
Cervical = 62%
T1-T10 = 15% (35)
T11-L4 = 19% (44)

Other:
0.9% (n=2)

Blunt trauma:
6.1% (n=14)
(not due to MVC,falls, diving, gunshot wounds, or work-related)

Fassett et al. 2007
N=412

Philadelphia, Pennsyl-vania,
USA

1978-2005
Treated in Delaware Valley Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

≥70 years old

High quadriplegic  (C4 and above)=42%
Paraplegic=22%

ASIA  A ~ 45%
ASIA B ~ 13%
ASIA C ~ 15%
ASIA D ~ 24%

Other:
11% (n=45)

National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center 2008
N=25,415

USA

26 federally funded Model SCI Care Systems and National SCI Database

Males=77.8% Average age = 39.5 years

Incomplete tetraplegia: 34.1%
Complete paraplegia: 23.0%
Complete tetraplegia:18.3%
Incomplete paraplegia: 18.5%

Other:
8.1% (n=2059)

National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center 2005
N=23,683

USA

25 federally funded Model SCI Care Systems and National SCI Database

Males= 79.6%
Average age of injury=37.6 years

Incomplete tetraplegia (34.5%)
Complete tetraplegia (18.4%)
Incomplete paraplegia (17.5%)
Complete paraplegia (23.1%)

Other:
6.8% (n=161)

National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center 2000
N=19648

USA

24 federally funded Model SCI Care Systems and National SCI Database

Males = 81.7% 55% within 16-30 years old, mean age at injury is 31.8
years

Complete Tetraplegia = 18.5%
Incomplete tetraplegia =   29.5%
Complete Paraplegia = 27.9%
Incomplete Paraplegia = 21.3%

Other:
7.9% (n=1552)

Biering-Sorensen et al. 1990
N=268

Kingdom of Denmark
(Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands)

January 1975- December 1984
Admission to national specialized rehabilitation hospitals

Male=76.9%
40% within 15-24 years old

Cervical = 136
Thoracic = 76
Lumbar = 56
Complete tetraplegia = 22%
Incomplete tetraplegia = 29%
Complete paraplegia = 26%
Incomplete paraplegia = 23%

Other:
1.0% (n=3)

Struck by object:
3.0% (n=8)

Crush accident:
2.0% (n=6)

Ahoniemi et al. 2008
N=1647

Finland

1976-2005
Register survey;
Medical records from registers of Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre

Males = 83%
Mean age of injury (M/F):
1976-1985: 34.7/35.8
1986-1995: 36.7/38.3
1996-2005: 42.4/40.4

50.6% tetraplegia
49.4% paraplegia

Other:
10.0% (n=165)

Dahlberg et al. 2005
N=152

Helsinki, Finland

January 1, 1999 cross-section date
Adult citizens (18 years or more) of Helsinki who had permanent sensory or motor deficits because of traumatic SCI (ASIA A–D). ASIA-E cases were excluded.

Males=76% Average age of injury=47.9 years

Data only for 121 subjects:
46% (n=56) tetraplegia
54% (n=65) paraplegia
57% (n=69) incomplete
43% (n=52) complete

Other:
9%
(n=13)

Exner & Meinecke 1997
N= 22,212

Germany

1976-1996
All traumatic and non-traumatic SCI

72% male.

62% paraplegic
38% tetraplegic

Other:
12%
(n=2,665)

Pedersen et al. 1989
N=27

Greenland

1965-1986
Admissions to rehabilitation hospital in Hornback with traumatic SCI; Patients injured in Greenland.

Males=74%
Mean age=33.5 (14-50) years.

Struck by Object:
Incomplete tetraplegia=1
Incomplete paraplegia=1

Struck by object:
7.4% (n=2)

Gun accidents:
14.8% (n=4)

Catz et al. 2002
N=250

Israel

1959-1992
Traumatic SCI, admitted to the Loewenstein Rehabilitation Center, the major referral center for rehabilitation medicine in Israel.

Males=75.6%
Mean age = 34.5 years (range 6-83 years).

High cervical 7.6%
low cervical 28.8%
thoracic 32.4%
lumbar 31.2%

Violence and Sports 10.4% (n=26)

Caldana & Lucca 1998
N=127

Veneto, Italy

1994-1995
New cases of traumatic spinal cord injury and non-traumatic spinal cord disease treated in regional hospitals (small hospitals excluded)

Males = 83.5%; Average age (male) of 39.8 years
Average age (female) of 36 years

Cervical=62 (21 complete)
Thoracic = 29 (25 complete)
Thoracolumbar (T12-L1)=18(11 complete)
Caudal=14 (3complete)
Unidentified=1

Other:
0.9% (n=5)

Otom et al. 1997
N=151

Jordan

1988-1993
Royal Jordanian Rehabilitation Centre (RJRC) King Hussein Medical Centre (KHMC)

Males = 85.4% Average age of injury=33 years

Cervical=31.8% (n=48)
Thoraco-lumbar= 68.2% (n=103)
Frankel A= 53.6% (n=81)
Frankel B = 10% (n=15)
Frankel C =22.5% (n=34)
Frankel D= 13.9% (n=21)

Struck by object:
3.3% (n=5)

Martins et al. 1998
N= 398

Portugal

1989-1992
2 hospitals that treat all SCI in the central region of Portugal. Including deaths due to SCI and pediatric cases. Cases without neurological lesion, rehospitalization and vertebral lesions were excluded.

Males=77% Average age = 50.53±21.85 years

Complete n=220
Incomplete n=176
Deaths = 223

Other:
5.3% (n=21)

Garcia-Reneses et al. 1991
N=1010

Spain

1984-1985
Every traumatic and non traumatic SCI  patient in specialized Spanish hospitals

72.4% male. Mean age = 41.8 ± 1.2 years.

Sensory-motor incomplete SCI = 49%
Complete SCI= 38%

Struck by Object:
3.2%
(n=32)

Other:
14.1%
(n=142)

Levi et al. 1995
N=353

Stockholm, Sweden

1991-1994
Survey of the regional Stockholm SCI population

Males=81% Average age of injury=31 (3-77) years

Cervical
41.6% (n=147)
Thoracic
36.0% (n=127)
Lumbar 14.7% (n=52)
Sacral 1.4% (n=5)
Complete
39.4% (n=139)
Incomplete
59.5% (n=210)

Other:
7.9%
(n=28)

Karameh-metaglu 1995
N=152

Istanbul, Turkey

1992
New patients with traumatic SCI, including pediatrics.

Males = 75.7% Mean age = 33 years. 72% of patients were under 40.

Tetraplegic n=50
Paraplegic n=102

Struck by object:
7% (n=78)

Gur et al. 2005
N=539

South-eastern Anatolia, Turkey

1990-1999
4 hospitals that were major referral centers for trauma

Males = 77.2% Average age of injury=30.62 (1-70) years
Civil servants: 22.6% (n=120)
Housewives: 20.2% (n=109)
Soldiers: 15.0% (n=79)

Incomplete paraplegia 29.3% (n=158)
Complete paraplegia 45.1% (n=243)
Incomplete tetraplegia 13.7% (n=74)
Complete tetraplegia 13.9% (n=75)
Cervical: 25.4% (n=137)
Thoracic: 36.7% (n=198)
Lumbar: 34.0% (n=183)

Other:
4.8%
(n=26)

Dincer et al. 1992
N=1,694

Turkey

1974-1985
SCI patients admitted to Ankara Rehabilitation Centre

Males = 75.7% Average age of injury=26.8 (1-70) years
Agricultural workers=
19.8% (n=336)
Housewives= 19.9% (n=338)
Private industry workers =
19.5% (n=330)

Complete paraplegia 85.1% (n=1442)
Incomplete paraplegia 6.9% (n=116)
Complete tetraplegia
4.8% (n=82)
Incomplete tetraplegia 3.2% (n=54)

Other:
11.10% (n=188)

Shingu et al. 1994
N=3465

Japan

1990
Survey of nationwide institutions assumed to accept SCI patients (residents);
Exclusion criteria:
Traumatic cervical syndrome cases and extradural nerve root

Mean age=47.8 years

Cervical=126 (60.3%)
Below cervical=83 (39.7%)

Struck by object:
6.0% (n=208)

Shingu et al. 1995
N=9752

Japan

1990-1992
Survey of nationwide institutions assumed to accept SCI patients.
Exclusion criteria:
Patients only receiving outpatient services in this period

Males=80.4%
Mean age=48.6±19.1 (0.92-96) years.

Frankel levels:
A=2518 (25.8%)
B=1208 (12.4%)
C=1984 (20.3%)
D=1761 (18.1%)
E=2242 (23.0%)

Struck by object:
5.5% (n=536)

Shrestha et al. 2007
N=149

Eastern region,
Nepal

2001-2004
Admission to hospital in Dharan with cervical spinal injury.

Males=80%
Mean age=40 (6-88) years
Mortality=6 (4%)

Frankel levels:
A=54 (36%)
B=20 (13%)
C=22 (15%)
D=19 (13%)
E=34 (23%)

Struck by object:
9.4% (n=14)

Animal related:
3.4% (n=5)

Lakhey et al. 2005
N=233

Dharan, Nepal

May 1997- April 2001
Orthopaedic ward of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences

Males = 72.5% <20years old
=26 (11.1%),
20-30yrs
=59 (25.3%),
31-40yrs
=49 (21.0%),
41-50yrs
=37 (15.9%),
>50yrs
=62 (26.6%);

Cervical = 88 (37.8%)
Dorsal = 70 (30.0%)
Lumbar = 72 (30.9%)
None bony = 3 (1.3%)

Complete = 46.8%

Carrying load on head:
4.7% (n=11)

Other:
10.7% (n=25)

Chen et al. 1985
N=560

Taipei, Taiwan

1978-1981
All record from general hospitals in Taipei. Included all spinal cord lesion with or without vertebral injury.

Males= 86% Mean age = 35.9 (range 20-49) years.

Incomplete Paraplegia n=118
Complete paraplegia n=180
Incomplete Tetraplegia n=117
Complete Tetraplegia n=145
Death n=31

Struck by object:
14.6%
(n=82)

Other:
5.6%
(n=30)

Chen et al. 1997
SCI=1,586

Taiwan

1992-1996
113 hospitals (11 medical centers, 50 regional general hospitals, 52 local general hospitals)

Males = 75.0% Average age of injury=46.1 years

Cervical 49.9%
Thoracic 13.3%
Lumbar 34.6%
Died after treatment
6.6% (n=105)

Struke by object:
2.1% (n=33)

Other:
4.7% (n=73)

Olasode et al. 2006
N=71

Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Africa

All traumatic SCI within an 18 month period were included. Only patients with significant craniocerebral injuries were excluded.

Males=66.7%
Age range=12-80 years

Tetraplegic n=39
Paraplegic n=13
Recovered with no residual disability n=14
Died n=5

Other:
7.0% (n=5)

Obalum et al. 2009
N=468

Lagos, Nigeria

1992-2006
Registrars at the emergency room and wards from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (receives the majority of SCI patients in Lagos)

70.1% male, 66.2% were ages 40 years and below. Peak age incidence = 21-30 years.

ASIA A n=230
ASIA B n=45
ASIA C n=36
ASIA D n=41
ASIA E n= 34
Death n=82
Lumbar n=278
Cervical n=142
Thoracic n=48

Other:
0.4% (n=2)

Hart et al. 1994
N=616

South Africa

1988-1993
All records of SCI from the Natalspruit Spinal Rehabilitation Unit

Males= 80% Males between 15-40 made up the majority of patients

Complete n=404
Incomplete n=212
Cervical spine n=155
Upper thoracic n=135
Lower thoracic n=249
Lumbar spine n=74

Other:
5.6% (n=34)

Ring et al. 1986
N=202

New South Wales, Australia

1977-1978
Admissions to New South Wales hospitals with spinal injury; death certificates that involved spinal injury. 99% of cases had neurological involvement.

Males= 81%
15-24 years=
84 (42%)
25-44 years=
58 (29%)
45-64 years=30 (15%)
≥65 years=
15 (7%)
Mortality=
69 (39%)

Glasgow Outcome Scale:
Severe disability=98(49%)
Moderate disability=19(9%)
Good recovery=13(6%)
Not recorded=3(1%)

Other:
9.4% (n=19)

Dixon et al. 1993
N=164

New Zealand

1988
SCI cases in Health Services Statistics files.

Males=73.2%
Males aged 15-29 years=46%

C1-C4=49 (30%)
C5-C7=30 (18%)
T1-T6=19 (12%)
T7-T12-19 (12%)

Exertion/
Strain:
3.0% (n=5)

Struck by object:
2.0% (n=3)

Gee & Sinha 1982
N=36

Papua New Guinea

1978-1981
Traumatic injury
Patients that stayed in Port Moresby, Lae and Manding hospitals

Males = 88%
Mean age = 26years
(range 16-41 years)

Cervical = 22%
Upper thoracic  = 11%
Thoraco-lumbar = 28%
Lumbar = 39%

Other:
13.9% (n=5)