[Traumatic spinal cord injury in people over 65 in Asturias].

AIMS

to assess incidence, causes and socio-demographicaspects of traumatic spinal cord injury among patients over 65 in Asturias (Spain).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A census was performed between 1951 and 2013 of patients in Asturias, over 65 years-old coded as «traumatic spinal cord injury with or without vertebral fracture». Socio-demographic, hospital and clinical variables were recorded.

RESULTS

In total 180 patients were registered, most of them males (60%), with a mean age of 73 years (maximum 91). The estimated incidence in 2010 was found to be 24.9, in 2011, 28.9 and in 2012, 32.9 cases/million/year. The distribution in the type of injury was homogeneous and location in the cervical spine (40%) was found to be more common. There was bone injury in 71.4%, with multilevel injury in more than half of the cases. The main cause was accidental fall (52.1%), mainly at own height (68.6%), and most of them located in the cervical spine (38.5%), followed by traffic accidents with 57.6% located in the cervical spine.

CONCLUSIONS

A change was observed in the epidemiological profile of the patients over 65 years old with spinal cord injury. There were more cases associated with accidental fall. It is necessary to create specific preventive and therapeutic strategies for this group.