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Spontaneous spinal cord infarction in Austria: a two-center comparative study
Slaven Pikija1, Alexander B Kunz1, Raffaele Nardone2
1Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Medical Center, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders
|March 18, 2022
Summary
Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a rare neurological emergency. This study analyzed 88 cases, finding consistent characteristics and poor outcomes, highlighting the need for improved care standards.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a critical neurological emergency.
- It often leads to severe, lasting neurological deficits.
- Enhanced understanding of this condition is crucial for timely treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize spontaneous SCI in a large patient cohort.
- To compare patient data from two Austrian tertiary care centers.
- To identify factors influencing outcomes in SCI.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 88 spontaneous SCI cases (2000-2020).
- Inclusion of pre-hospital, clinical, etiological, and diagnostic data.
- Evaluation of reperfusion therapy and functional outcomes.
Main Results:
- Anterior spinal artery infarction was the predominant syndrome (82.9%).
- Atherosclerosis was the most frequent etiology in Salzburg (50%), while etiology remained unknown in Graz (52.5%).
- Median time to MRI was 148 minutes; only 2.2% received thrombolysis, with 48% experiencing poor outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Consistent demographics and clinical syndromes observed across centers.
- Significant variations in etiological diagnosis and diagnostic certainty.
- Findings support developing standardized care protocols to improve SCI patient outcomes.
