Gupta et al. 2009
India
Case series
N=64

Population: Mean age = 30.64; Gender: males = 28, females = 36; Level of injury: paraplegia =67.2%, quadriplegia = 32.8%; Duration of illness =7.1±9.2 months.
Treatment: Admission / discharge data for nontraumatic patients admitted for neurological rehabilitation from June 2005 to January 2008 was analyzed.
Outcome Measures: Functional (BI) and neurological (AIS) outcomes and complication prevalence collected at admission and discharge.

• LOS was 55.8±40.9 days (Range 14-193 days).
• BI scores showed significant functional recovery (p=0.000).
• AIS score showed significant neurological recovery during rehabilitation (p=0.001).
• # of patients at AIS A went from 31.3% to 18.8%, AIS B from 20.3% to 7.8% and AIS C/D from 48.4%to 73.4% between admission and discharge.
• 90% of patients reported at least one complication during rehabilitation.
• Most common medical complications were urinary tract infection (50.0%), spasticity (35.9%), urinary incontinence (31.3%) and pressure ulcer (25.0%).

Gupta et al. 2008
India
Case series
N=76

Population: Traumatic (n=38): Mean age = 32.86yrs; Gender: males = 34, females = 4; Nontraumatic (n=38): Mean age = 31.10; Gender: males = 16, females = 22
Treatment: Admission / discharge data from all surviving nontraumatic and traumatic spinal cord lesion patients in a neurological rehabilitation facility was assessed over a 2 year period.
Outcome Measures: LOS, BI, AIS collected at admission and discharge.

• The traumatic group had significantly more males than females (p<0.05) and was not significantly different in age, marriage, education or socioeconomic factors.
• LOS was 66.0±47.7 days (trauma) and 60.7±45.7 which was not significantly different between groups.
• Both trauma and nontrauma patients showed significant gains in function with BI increasing significantly from admission to discharge (p<0.05) although there was no between group differences.
• AIS scores showed nontraumatic patients had significantly more impairment than the traumatic at both admission and discharge (p=0.020, p=0.017) (Overall change in AIS not reported).

Moslavac et al. 2008
Croatia
D&B=14
Case series
N=154

Population: Level of injury: paraplegia=93, tetraplegia=61; Severity of injury: AIS A=76, B=13, C=33, D=19, E=13
Treatment: Records of SCI patients involved in a road accident admitted to the national Spinal Unit of Special Medical Rehabilitation Hospital in Varazdinske Toplice, Croatia from 1991 to 2001 were assessed.
Outcome Measures: AIS at admission and discharge.

• 49% were AIS A at admission - of these, 93% remained an A at discharge, 5% to C and 1% to D.
• 8% were AIS B at admission - of these, 38%remained B at discharge, while 31% of these improved to a C, 23% to a D and 8% to E.
• 21% were AIS C at admission – of these, 3% deteriorated to A, 9% remained C, 67% improved to D and 21% to E.
• 12% were AIS D at admission – of these, 26% remained D and 74% improved to E.
• 8% were AIS E at admission – all of these remained E.

DeVivo 2007
USA
Case series
N=24,332

Population: 1973-1981: Mean age = 28.8yrs; Gender: male=81.6%; Level of injury: C1-C4=15.3%, C5-C8=38.1%, T1-S5=45.6%; AIS A=52%, B=9.9%, C=8.4%, D=28.7%, E=1%;
2002-2006: Mean age = 38.3yrs; Gender: male=77.6%; Level of injury: C1-C4=23.1%, C5-C8=32.4%, T1-S5=43.9%; AIS A=43.2, B=11.8%, C=14.8%, D=29.6%, E=0.6%
Treatment: Patients with traumatic SCI in the SCI model care systems in the United States between 1973 and 2006 were followed.
Outcome Measures: LOS, FIM, AIS. All analyzed for admission, discharge, and 5 years post-discharge.

• Length of stay decreased by 11.4 days in acute care and 62.6 days in rehabilitation (p<0.01).
• A decrease was seen in the mean days re-hospitalized in 1992-1996, but has increased slightly since (p<0.01).
• Mean gain in FIM motor score decreased by 3.38 points during the past 20 years (p<0.01) although FIM efficiency increased (p<0.01) (discrepancy due to reduced LOS).
• FIM motor scores at admission & discharge decreased significantly during the past 20 years (P<0.0001).
• For 2002-2006, among injuries that were initially neurologically complete, 15.1% became incomplete by discharge. Among AIS B injuries, 45.2% improved at least one grade, whereas 54.3% of AIS C injuries improved to at least AIS D injuries. This suggests some gains in the likelihood of neurologic improvement over the past 30 years.
• Mean age increased significantly from 1973-1981 to 2002-2006 (28.8yrs to 38.3yrs, p<0.0001).
• A significant decline in the number of male patients was seen from 81.6 to 77.6% (p<0.0001).
• Injuries due to falls increased steadily over time (p<0.0001).
• Increase in average education level was seen by 2002 (p<0.0001).
• Mean acute care costs increased by $127,102 (p<0.01) and $8948 per day (p<0.01).
• Mean rehabilitation charges decreased by $4,725 but per day increase of $1018 was seen (p<0.01).

Chan & Chan 2005
Hong Kong, China
Case Series
Initial N=33
Final N=33

Population: Traumatic SCI: Mean age = 48.4 yrs; Gender: males = 30, females = 3; Level of injury: paraplegia = 9, tetraplegia = 24.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient rehabilitation.
Outcome Measures: FIM, LOS. All collected at admission, discharge, and 1 and 3 months post-discharge.

• All patient groups (i.e., levels and severity of injury) had similar FIM motor scores at discharge as noted by American Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine.
• All groups showed increases in FIM motor scores from admission to discharge but these were only significant for tetraplegia AIS D (p<0.05) given small group sizes.
• Little change in cognitive FIM was seen between admission and discharge due to ceiling effects.
• FIM motor scores generally continued to increase at 1 and 3 months post-injury although small N sizes and missed follow-ups precluded statistical significance.
• LOS was generally longer for tetraplegia (low level was significant, p<0.0005) although there were low N’s for each group (varied from 52.0-215.9 days).

Ronen et al. 2004
Israel
Case series
N=1367

Population: TSCL (250): Mean age = 34.5 yrs; Gender: males:female = 3.3:1; Level of injury: cervical = 37%, thoracic = 32%, lumbosacral =31%; Severity of injury: Frankel grade A/B = 46%, C = 40%, D = 14%; NTSCL (1117): Mean age = 47.1 yrs; Gender: male:female = 1.2:1; Level of injury: cervical = 32%, thoracic = 44%; lumbosacral = 24%; Severity of injury: Frankel grade A/B = 16%, C = 45%, D = 39%.
Treatment: SCL patient data was retrospectively reviewed.
Outcome Measures: LOS, mortality risk, SCIM-II gain.

• Mean LOS for TSCL was more than double of NTSCL patients (239 vs 106 days, p<0.001).
• LOS was significantly associated with:
  • SCL etiology
  • SCL severity, with LOS being longer for patients with Frankel grades A, B, and C (p<0.001).
  • Decade of admission to rehabilitation, with reduction over the last few decades, p<0.001).
• LOS was not significantly associated with:
  • Gender (p<0.02).
  • SCL level (p=0.092).
  • Age (p=0.08).
• In patients with NTSCL there was a significant increase in mortality risk for each additional day of hospitalization (p<0.001).
• SCIM-II gain and relative SCIM II gain were positively correlated with LOS (p<0.001).

Chung et al. 2003
Taiwan
Case Series
Initial N=68
Final N=68

Population: Mean age = 43 yrs; Gender: males = 51, females = 17.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but LOS is modeled (predicted) by various measures associated with inpatient rehabilitation.
Outcome Measures: LOS and various predictor variables (age, gender, ADLs, subjective well-being and cognitive-social skills). Predictor variables collected at admission to inpatient rehabilitation.

• Performance on ADLs was the only direct predictor of LOS, while subjective well-being and gender affect LOS indirectly through other predictors (subjective well-being via ADLs).
• LOS increases as ADL performance deteriorates. Clients with good subjective well-being scores will tend to perform better on ADLs, resulting in shorter LOS.

Pollard & Apple 2003
USA
Case Series
Initial N=412
Final N=95

Population: Patient Database (N=412), traumatic, incomplete tetraplegia admitted within 90 days post-injury (N=95).
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient acute care and rehabilitation. Main factors examined were effect of intravenous steroids, early definitive surgery (<24 hours after injury) and early decompression surgery. Mean acute care LOS was 15±16 days and mean rehabilitation LOS was 47±30 days.
Outcome Measures: Change in sensory score, final sensory score, change in motor score, final motor score. All collected at admission and discharge (also for some at time of injury and 1, 2, 3 years post-injury or the latest anniversary).

• Most gains in motor and sensory scores were found in first year. An average of 35 motor points (18% during acute care, 53% during rehabilitation, 8% during the remainder of the year) and 46 sensory points (46% during acute care, 46% during rehabilitation, 8% during the remainder of the year) were recovered.
• Younger individuals (<18) had more improvement in motor scores but not sensory scores than older people (p=0.002).
• People with Brown Sequard and Central Cord injuries had more improvement in motor scores but not sensory scores than those with anterior cord (p=0.019).
• There was no effect of methylprednisolone (MP) administration, early anterior decompression, decompression of stenosis without fracture, gender or race. Those with MP administration did have greater improvements in sensory scores (p=0.027) although there was no difference in the final sensory score for those with and without MP.

Pagliaccu et al. 2003
Italy
Case Series
Initial N=684
Final N=684

Population: Multi-centre Italian prospective survey, Traumatic SCI, Gender: 80.1 % males, Age: mean=38.5, median=33.7 (11-94) years, Tetraplegia, Paraplegia, AIS A-E.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient acute care and rehabilitation. 7 participating centers provided integrated acute and rehabilitation care while 30 centres provided only rehabilitation care.
Outcome Measures: AIS (neurological status), various complication incidence, LOS, Bladder management method, Bowel status, Feeling of dependency, Discharge destination. Collected at admission and discharge.

• Neurological improvement was associated with AIS B and C, shorter LOS, greater chance of seeing neurological improvement with earlier admission (3-30 days vs > 30 days, p<0.001). Presence of complications (especially pressure sores) on admission or during stay reduced likelihood of attaining neurological improvement. Multivariate analysis also showed incompleteness was independently predictive of improvement.
• Average rehabilitation LOS was 135.5 days (median 122 days). Longer LOS was associated with younger age, longer time from injury to admission, previous place of management, surgical management, tetraplegia, completeness, presence of complications at admission or during stay and marginally, admission to an integrated (vs Rehab only) centre.
• 81.9% of people were discharged to home (private residence). Increased likelihood of being discharged home were seen with paraplegia, bladder and bowel autonomy, absence of pressure sore on discharge, longer Length of Stay and marginally, younger age.
• Bladder autonomy was attained in 65% of patients. Reduced likelihood of achieving bladder autonomy was seen with tetraplegia, completeness, at least 1 complication, longer time from injury to admission, longer LOS.
• Reduced likelihood of feelings of dependency was associated with paraplegia, neurological improvement, discharge home, bladder and bowel autonomy, no pressure sores and incompleteness. Multivariate analysis also showed a shorter time between injury and admission was independently predictive of lower feelings of dependency.

Tooth et al. 2003
Australia
Case Series-
Initial N=587
Final N=167

Population: Traumatic SCI, 77.8% males, Age=34.9±17.1 (13-90) years, incomplete tetraplegia (47.9%), complete tetraplegia (13.2%), incomplete paraplegia (16.2%) and complete paraplegia (22.8%).
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with admission to an integrated unit for acute and rehabilitation care. Sub-analysis focused on effects of level of impairment as measured by neurological status and by the Australian National Sub-acute and Non-acute Patient Classification System (AN-SNAP) on Length of Stay.
Outcome Measures: LOS, FIM (motor, cognitive and total), Discharge destination. All collected at admission and discharge.

• Mean acute care LOS was 45.6±35.9 days and median rehabilitation LOS was 83 days (3-317 days) (Mean = 99.6 days).
• Rehabilitation LOS was significantly longer for those with complete tetraplegia as compared to those with incomplete tetraplegia or incomplete/complete paraplegia (p<0.001).
• Mean total FIM increased from 68.7 (admission) to 102.2 (discharge) due almost entirely to gains in motor FIM scores. Total FIM scores were lowest for those with complete tetraplegia and highest for those with incomplete paraplegia with significant differences found between the various neurological categories. Those with complete tetraplegia had the least change in FIM scores.
• 75.4% were discharged to a community dwelling and 10.8% to a transitional rehabilitation program. Those with greater impairment were less likely to be discharged to a community setting (i.e., 92.6% with incomplete paraplegia vs 72.7% with complete tetraplegia).
• AN-SNAP-predicted LOS was generally much shorter than actual LOS.

Sumida et al. 2001
Japan
Case Control
Initial N=139;
Final N =123

Population: 123 people with SCI admitted to a Japanese Hospital System with specialized SCI rehabilitation services following acute care. Subjects included those with tetraplegia and paraplegia (frequencies not provided) with AIS A (51), B (8), C (35) and D (29).
Treatment: No tx per se, comparison of those admitted earlier (< 2 weeks post injury) vs later (> 2 weeks) to a specialized spinal rehabilitation unit. Subjects were sub-grouped into i) tetraplegia, ii) paraplegia, iii) central cord.
Outcome Measures: LOS, FIM, FIM motor score, FIM gain, FIM efficiency all collected at Discharge.

• Subjects who were admitted earlier (<2 weeks) had significantly shorter LOS than those admitted later (p<0.0005).
• FIM gain (p<0.0001) and FIM efficiency (p<0.0001) were significantly greater for subjects admitted earlier vs later. Note: the early admission subjects had lower initial motor and total FIM scores than did the delayed admission group (p<0.05).
• Correlations between ASIA motor and FIM scores in various subgroups and at admission and discharge yielded a variety of associations ranging from very weak to strong correlations (r=0.03-0.92) with the majority of these correlations significant (p<.05).

Eastwood et al. 1999
USA
Case Series
Initial N=5,180
Final N=3,904

Population: Traumatic SCI from US Model Systems database, age categories from <21 to >51, 80.9% males, tetraplegia and paraplegia, incomplete and complete.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient rehabilitation to predict LOS, rehospitalization, residence, days out of residence (QoL) and pressure sores.
Outcome Measures: Rehabilitation LOS, rehospitalization, residence, days out of residence (QoL), pressure sore incidence and many predictor variables. Collected at admission, discharge and 1 year post-injury.

• Rehabilitation LOS was reduced from 74.1 days in 1990 to 60.8 days in 1997 (p<0.001). Acute care LOS was 21 days in 1990 and 20 days in 1991.
• Many variables significantly predicted increases in LOS at p<0.001 level of significance (in descending order): low admission FIM, earlier discharge year, complete tetraplegia, indwelling catheter, intermittent catheterization, condom catheter. Other variables included being African-American, having a high-school education or less, being married, being <21 years old and being retired or engaged in other non-paid activities.
• Individuals initially discharged to a skilled nursing facility were more likely to return home by 1 year if they were young, had higher admission and discharge FIM scores, greater FIM change, if they were able to leave the institution more frequently and more likely to use IC vs indwelling catheter.
• Individuals were more likely to be rehospitalized if they had lower discharge FIM scores, complete paraplegia, having an indwelling catheter or using intermittent catheterization and with a shorter rehabilitation Length of Stay.
• Predictors of having pressure sores at year 1 were having complete paraplegia, not having incomplete tetraplegia, lower FIM scores and older age.

Morrison & Stanwyck 1999
USA
Case Control
N = 127

Population: Acute traumatic SCI: Mean age = 28.81 yrs; Level of injury: paraplegia, tetraplegia, C5-L2; Severity of injury: complete.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but effect of Length of Stay on functional and medical status was examined by comparing those admitted in 1991 vs those in 1995. (LOS was significantly reduced in 1995, p<0.001).
Outcome Measures: FIM (Individual scores for 11 items), Functional motor skills (5 skills, custom), Locomotor skill (5 skills, custom), incidence of medical complications (pressure sores, UTIs, pain), employment status all collected at discharge and 2 month post-discharge.

• In general, the group with shorter LOS did not differ dramatically from the group with longer LOS. Subjects also spent less time in PT and OT from 1991 to 1995 (p<0.001).
• There were higher discharge scores for bowel management, stairs, manual locomotion, rolling supine to prone and rolling side to side for those with longer LOS in paraplegics. No significant differences were seen in tetraplegic patients. (Many results showing no differences not presented).
• Post discharge performance skills in those with tetraplegia showed that those with shorter LOS had higher function in the following areas: bathing (p=0.39), bed transfer (p=0.27), and toilet transfer (p=0.047).  For those with paraplegia, the shorter LOS group was higher in the following areas: grooming (p<0.011), upper body dressing (p=0.003), car transfer (p=0.018) and manual locomotion (p=0.031).
• The proportion of subjects who reported UTIs, pressure sores and pain was higher in the shorter LOS group.

Muslumanoglu et al. 1997
Turkey
Pre-Post
Initial N=52
Final N=10

Population: Mean age = 36.4 yrs; Gender: males = 32, females = 20; Level of injury: paraplegia = 19, tetraplegia = 18; Severity of injury: complete = 9, incomplete = 19.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient rehabilitation of 93.9 ±44.95 (14-258) days.
Outcome Measures: Motor scores, light touch scores and FIM. All collected at admission, discharge, and 1 year post-discharge (N=10 only).

• Neurological assessments (Motor scores and light touch scores) showed increases from admission to discharge for those with incomplete injuries (p<0.001) but not complete injuries.
• FIM showed increases from admission to discharge for those with incomplete injuries (p<0.05) and those with complete paraplegia (p<0.05) but not complete tetraplegia.
• FIM scores (p<0.05), but not motor scores or light touch scores showed significant increases from discharge to 1 year post-discharge in a subsample of 10 with paraplegia.

DeVivo et al. 1991
USA
Case Series
Initial N=13,763
Final N=13,763

Population: US Model Systems database: Mean age = 30.5 yrs; Gender: males = 82.3%, females = 17.7%, Level of injury: paraplegia, tetraplegia; Severity of injury: AIS: A-E.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient acute care, rehabilitation and follow-up.
Outcome Measures: AIS, FIM, Total hospital LOS, Discharge destination, Education, Employment, Marital status, Readmission, Mortality. Collected at admission, discharge and in some cases annually thereafter.

• Of 4,934 admitted within 24 hours post-injury, the proportion showing increases in AIS were 10.3% (A), 45.2% (B), 55.9& (C), 7.3% (D) vs no change 89% (A), 50.3% (B), 41.5% (C), 90.5% (D)  vs declined 4.5% (B), 2.6% (C), 2.0% (D). Some people continued to improve neurologically for up to 18 months after discharge, thereafter only rarely.
• From 1973-1990 the proportion of incomplete patients discharged increased from 40% to 55.2% whereas the proportion of complete patients decreased accordingly.
• Of 751 patients, average FIM gain was 37 (incomplete paraplegia, 36 (complete paraplegia), 34 (incomplete tetraplegia and 15 (complete tetraplegia).
• Total hospital LOS declined from 1974-1989. For tetraplegia it went from 149.6 to 92.4 days and for paraplegia from 122.3 to 74.9 days.
• 94.1% patients were discharged to a private residence, 4.0% to nursing homes, 1.5% to other hospitals. Of 1,306 followed 10 years, 98.0% resided in private residences.
• 51.2% of those with grade 9-11 completed high school within 5 years after injury and 11.6% of those with high school education completed a higher academic degree within 5 years.
• The proportion of people employed increased from 12.6% 2 years after injury to 38.3% 12 years after injury.
• In the second year post-discharge, 35.7% of people were rehospitalized and this declined to 25% at 12 years.
• Overall survival rate was 76.9%. During the first 12 years after injury, cumulative survival rate increased to 88% of what it would be in the absence of injury. Highest causes of death were pneumonia, pulmonary embolism and septicemia (due to pressure sores, respiratory infections or UTIs).

Roth et al. 1990
USA
Case series
Initial N=81
Final N=81

Population: Traumatic central cord syndrome: Mean age = 45.5 yrs; Gender: males = 67, females = 14; Level of injury: tetraplegia; Severity of injury: Frankel C, D; Mean time since injury = 29.8 days.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but outcomes associated with inpatient rehabilitation. LOS 69.6 + 39.2 days. 
Outcome Measures: Modified Barthel Index (MBI) collected at admission and discharge.

• Significant improvements were noted in the MBI self care subscores, MBI mobility subscores and MBI total scores from admission to discharge (p<0.001 for all). At least 70% of patients were independent on each of the individuals tasks comprising the MBI at discharge.
• 89% of patients were discharged home.
• Continent spontaneous voiding was achieved by 84% at discharge as compared to 23% at admission.
• Regulation of bowel management was achieved by 99% at discharge as compared to 54% at admission.
• Medical complications requiring management occurred in 66.7% of patients during rehabilitation.

Yarkony et al. 1990
USA
Case Series
N=1,382

Population: Traumatic SCI: Gender: males = 83%, female = 17%; Level and severity of injury: incomplete tetraplegia = 30%, complete tetraplegia = 27%, complete paraplegia = 27%, incomplete paraplegia = 16%.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient rehabilitation.
Outcome Measures: LOS, Discharge destination.

• Rehabilitation Length of Stay decreased over study period from 56.5 days in 1974 to 68.1 days in 1986 (82.8 for tetraplegia and 54.3 for paraplegia).
• Days hospitalized prior to rehabilitation admission decreased over the years of the study from 56.5 days in 1974 to 33.4 days in 1986.
• 93% were discharged to a private residence 5% to nursing homes.

Yarkony et al. 1990
USA
Case series
Initial N=184
Final N=184

Population: Traumatic Complete Thoracic SCI: Mean age = 27.2 yrs; Gender: males = 81%, females = 19%; Mean time since injury = 46 days.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but outcomes presented associated with inpatient rehabilitation. Length of stay 84 days. 
Outcome Measures: Modified Barthel Index (MBI) collected at admission and discharge.

• Overall, significant increases were seen from admission to discharge with total MBI (p<0.001), self care subscore (p<0.001) and mobility subscore (p<0.001).
• Discharge functional status was dependent on the admission functional status (p<0.001) and the rehab LOS (p<0.05) but not on acute care LOS, level of paraplegia or presence of surgical stabilization.
• No statistically significant differences were noted between those with high vs low paraplegia on 14 of the 15 components of the MBI other than low paraplegic patients were more likely to walk 50 yards  (p<0.001).

Yarkony et al. 1987
USA
Case series
Initial N=711
Final N=711

Population: Traumatic SCI: Mean age = 28.2 yrs; Gender: males = 82%, females = 18%; Level of injury: paraplegia = 45%, tetraplegia = 55%; Severity of injury: complete, incomplete; Mean time since injury = 28.8 days.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but outcomes associated with inpatient rehabilitation. LOS 69.6 + 39.2 days. 
Outcome Measures: LOS, Modified Barthel Index (MBI) collected at admission and discharge.

• Tetraplegics had significantly longer stays in rehabilitation than the paraplegic group (121 vs 81 days, p<0.001).  Those who were diagnosed with incomplete lesions also had significantly shorter stays than those diagnosed with complete injuries regardless of level of injury (p=0.001). Incomplete (107.6 days) vs complete (135.3) tetraplegia and incomplete (78.2 days) vs complete (83.4) paraplegia.
• Overall, patients showed significant increases in total MBI and self-care and mobility MBI subscores (p<0.001). Improvements and discharge scores were greater for incomplete vs complete (p<0.001) and for those with paraplegia vs tetraplegia (p<0.001).

Burke et al. 1985
Australia
Case Series
Initial N=352
Final N=262

Population: Gender: males = 209, females = 53; Level of injury: paraplegia, tetraplegia; Severity of injury: Frankel A-E.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with admission to an integrated unit for acute and rehabilitation care.
Outcome Measures: Frankel scale, Mortality, Urinary tract management and pathogen status, physical independence (Walking, Dressing, Transfers, Driving, Finances), Total hospital LOS. All collected at admission and discharge.

• 31% of people improved neurologically as indicated by Frankel, 66% remained unchanged, and 3% deteriorated. 23% initially complete became incomplete and 40% of those initially incomplete improved.
• Of those discharged “normally”, Total hospital LOS ranged from 113 (D, E paraplegia) to 282 (A, B tetraplegia) days with completeness having a greater impact on stay than level.
• 69.1% of people were discharged catheter-free with 14.9% (26.4% of females and 12.0% of males) discharged with an indwelling catheter. 77.9% were discharged with sterile urine.
• 77% could dress themselves independently at discharge (95% with complete paraplegia and 27% with complete tetraplegia).
• 79% could transfer independently at discharge.
• 40% with complete tetraplegia could drive with hand controls at discharge.

Woolsey 1985
USA
Case Series
Initial N=100
Final N=96

Population: Traumatic SCI in VA SCI Service: Gender: males; Level of injury: paraplegia = 38, tetraplegia = 62; Severity of injury: complete = 73, incomplete = 27; Time since injury: < 1 month = 59, < 2 months = 28, > 2 months = 13.
Treatment: No treatment per se, but various outcomes associated with inpatient rehabilitation. LOS = 3.3 (paraplegia) and 5.5 months (tetraplegia).
Outcome Measures: Attainment of functional goals by discharge or in some cases later follow-up.

• No statistical analysis.
• The higher the injury, the more likely an individual did not meet goals of self-care and mobility.
• 83/100 were discharged to their homes, 13 to nursing homes.