Outcome after post-acute spinal cord specific rehabilitation: a German single center study

Retrospective cohort study.

The objective of this study was to analyze single center outcome measures of spinal cord injury (SCI)-specific rehabilitation (SCISR) in Germany.

The study was conducted at an SCI specialized rehabilitation center.

Nonparametric tests for outcome description such as SCIM and length of stay. Logistic regression for outcome prediction was used.

One hundred and sixty patients (113 men, 47 women) with a mean age of 64.4 years were included. Non-traumatic etiologies, such as vascular diseases, tumors, infections or degenerative diseases accounted for 55.6% of SCI (89/160). Men experienced significantly more cervical lesions (P=0.02) and presented with lower SCIMstart values (P=0.04). Patients with AIS D (incomplete SCI) had significantly higher SCIMstart and SCIMend (P<0.01, each). Age correlated negatively with SCIMstart and SCIMend (r=-0.21; P<0.05; r=-0.21; P<0.05; respectively). The chance to reach an SCIMend ⩾50 points (milestone for starting post-primary rehabilitation) increased with every SCIM point at the beginning of rehabilitation by 12.2% (95% CI 7.3-17.3%) and for every day in rehabilitation by 1.4% (95% CI 0.5-2.3%). Every additional day in acute medical care, however, decreased the chance for this by 2.2% (95% CI -3.6 to -0.8%).

This is the first study giving outcomes for post-acute SCISR in Germany. The obtained data support that even in an older cohort, early admission to SCISR after SCI and longer LOSreha increases the chance for higher independence at the end of the rehabilitation period.