Traumatic spinal cord injuries in the rural region of taiwan: An epidemiological study in hualien county, 1986-1990
Journal
Paraplegia
Journal Volume
31
Journal Issue
6
Pages
398-403
Date Issued
1993
Author(s)
Abstract
In order to survey the epidemiological characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Hualien county, a retrospective study was conducted from January 1986 to December 1990 in four local general hospitals. During this period, 135 traumatic SCI patients were identified and 99 of them were residents of Hualien county. The estimated annual incidence of traumatic SCI in Hualien county was 56.1 per million population. As a result of injury 36 patients were tetraparetic, 33 tetraplegic, 12 paraparetic and 18 paraplegic. The male/female ratio was 4:1. The mean age of onset for male patients was 44 years, and that for female patients was 46 years. The major causes of SCI were traffic accident (61.6%) followed by accidental falls (23.3%). The average duration of hospitalisation ranged from 62 days in paraparetics to 132 days in tetraplegics. Ten patients died of respiratory failure or sepsis, and the mortality rate was 10.1%. Our data revealed that traumatic SCI was prevalent in Hualien county in comparison with epidemiological studies elsewhere. The special population composition of Hualien county and the preponderance of the motorcycle as a transportation vehicle in this area might result in its unique epidemiological characteristics. ? 1993 International Medical Society of Paraplegia.
Subjects
Epidemiology; Incidence; Spinal cord injury
SDGs
Other Subjects
adolescent; adult; aged; article; comparative study; falling; female; general hospital; human; major clinical study; male; mortality; motorcycle; paraplegia; quadriplegia; respiratory failure; retrospective study; rural area; school child; sepsis; spinal cord injury; taiwan; traffic accident; traffic and transport; Accidental Falls; Accidents, Traffic; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Athletic Injuries; Female; Human; Male; Middle Age; Motorcycles; Paraplegia; Quadriplegia; Retrospective Studies; Rural Population; Sex Factors; Spinal Cord Injuries; Taiwan
Type
journal article