The Prognostic Factors of Neurologic Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the factors affecting recovery of spinal cord injury following cervical and thoracolumbar spine injuries. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW Several authors have reported the factors to predict the prognosis of spinal cord injury, but the objective prognostic factors are still controversial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 2006 to March 2013, a total of 44 patients with spinal cord injury were evaluated. Prognostic factors analyzed were sex, age, neurologic status, fracture type, time to operation, use of steroid, and signal change on MRI. We analyzed the relation between each factor and the neurologic recovery. The mean follow-up period was 12 months. The neurologic recovery was analyzed by the ASIA impairment scale at the first and the last neurologic examination. RESULTS: Among 44 patients, 15 sustained complete cord injury while 29 had incomplete cord injury. Significant neurologic recovery using the ASIA impairment scale was evaluated in the incomplete spinal cord injury group. Among this group, the prognosis for Brown-sequard syndrome is better than for central cord syndrome and anterior cord syndrome. There was no significant difference in other factors (fracture site, time to operation, use of steroid or signal change on MRI). CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis in spinal cord injury is determined by the initial neurologic damage and neurologic recovery is not related with the fracture type, time to operation, use of steroid and signal change on MRI.