Epidemiological characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injuries in the intensive care unit from 2018 to 2023: a retrospective hospital-based study.

BACKGROUND

The objective of this retrospective hospital-based study was to describe the epidemiological features of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in the intensive care unit (ICU) and assess the incidence and possible risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) following TSCI.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 370 patients with TSCI who were admitted between January 2018 and March 2023. The following parameters were collected: age, sex, body mass index, occupation, underlying diseases, smoking history, education level, etiology of injury, injury segments, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale score, severity of injury, injury severity score (ISS), VTE risk score (Caprini score), treatment, VTE prophylaxis, ICU length of stay, length of hospital stay, concomitant injuries, and complications. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the demographic and clinical characteristics of the study participants. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for VTE.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients with TSCI was 55.5 ± 13.4 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 6.5:1. The leading cause of TSCI was falls from height (46.5%), followed by traffic accidents (36.5%). The cervical spinal cord was the most affected segment, followed by the thoracolumbar region. Among all the patients, 362 (97.8%) had concomitant injuries. Complications were observed in 255 patients (68.9%) during hospitalization. The incidence rate of VTE was 25.1%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age (=1.721, 95%: 1.207-2.454, =0.003), mechanical ventilation (=3.427, 95%: 1.873-6.271, <0.001), and non-use of chemical prophylaxis (=2.986, 95%: 1.749-5.099, <0.001) were risk factors for VTE.

CONCLUSION

Falls from height and traffic accidents were the main causes of TSCIs in the ICU, especially for male patients with cervical spinal cord injuries. VTE is a frequent complication in patients with TSCI in the ICU. Age, mechanical ventilation, and non-use of chemical prophylaxis were found to be independent risk factors for VTE following TSCI.