Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injuries in Iceland from 1975 to 2009.

• Published in: Spinal Cord
• Main Authors: Knútsdóttir, S, Thórisdóttir, H, Sigvaldason, K, Jónsson, H, Björnsson, A, Ingvarsson, P
• Other Authors: Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Accident Prevention; Accidental Falls; Accidents; Traffic; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; 80 and over; Child; Preschool; Female; Humans; Iceland; Incidence; Leisure Activities; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Seat Belts; Spinal Cord Injuries; Young Adult
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/238011; https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2011.105

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective population-based epidemiological study. OBJECTIVES: To assess the nationwide, population-based incidence, causes, age, gender, extent and prevalence of spinal cord injuries (SCIs) in Iceland from 1975 to 2009. SETTING: Landspitali University Hospital in Iceland, the single referral center for SCIs in Iceland. METHODS: A retrospective review of hospital records on all admissions due to SCIs. Analysis of incidence, causes, age, gender, extent of injury and prevalence. RESULTS: A total of 207 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) were admitted: males 72%, females 28%. The percentage of females with TSCI increased to 37% in 2000-2004. Mean age at injury was 38 years. Average incidence per million population per year was 30 in 1975-1979, 12.5 in 1995-1999 and 33.5 in 2005-2009. Thirty-day mortality was 6.3%. Causes of injury were road traffic accidents (RTA) in 42.5% of the cases; the majority did not use seatbelts. Falls amounted to 30.9%, with an increase of low falls among the elderly causing incomplete cervical lesions. Sport/leisure activities were the cause in 18.8%, of which 54% occurred after 2000. The main single cause of TSCI in sport/leisure were horse-riding accidents, followed by winter sport accidents, especially among women. Other causes constituted 7.7%. The injury was complete in 39%; cervical lesions were 57% and thoracic/lumbar lesions were 43%. In December 2009, the crude prevalence rate was 526 per million population. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed a significant increase of TSCI in 2005-2009, especially in sport/leisure accidents and incomplete cervical lesions due to falls among elderly. Prevention strategies need to focus on these risk groups and on seatbelt use. Landspitali University Hospital