Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine mortality and its associated factors in patients with
spinal cord injuries (SCI), presenting to Paraplegic Center Peshawar, Pakistan.
METHODS: In this retrospective study, clinical records of SCI patients,
admitted to Paraplegic Center from January 2011 to March 2017 were
evaluated. SCI patients who died during this period, irrespective of their age,
gender, duration of SCI and number of readmissions were included in study.
Demographic information, clinical characteristic and complications in eligible
patients were recorded and analyzed.
RESULTS: Out of 62 patients, 46 (74.2%) were males. Mean age of patients
was 41.7±17.3 years. Twenty-two (35.5%) patients aged ≤30 years & 20
(32%) patients aged >50 years. The most common cause of SCIs was fall from
height (n=23, 37.1%), followed by road traffic accident (n=17, 27.4%) and
firearm injury (n=11, 17.7%). About 51.6% of patients (n=32) had complete
thoracic paraplegia, 30.6% (n=19) had complete cervical tetraplegia and 8.1%
(n=5) had incomplete cervical tetraplegia. Complications and co-morbid
conditions included pressure ulcers (n=53; 85.5%), limb fractures (n=7
11.3%), deep venous thrombosis (n=3; 4.8%), hepatitis (n=2; 3.2%) and
injury to brachial plexus (n=1; 1.6%). Twenty-two (35.5%) patients underwent
spine fixation surgery while forty (64.5%) patients were managed
conservatively. Majority of the patients (n=51, 82.3%) died within the first year
of SCI.
CONCLUSION: Relatively younger patients were predominant and complete
thoracic paraplegia was the commonest SCI level. Presence of pressure ulcers,
limb fractures and deep venous thrombosis in patients with SCI were major
contributing factors to morbidity leading to mortality in our patients.
Aatik Arsh, Haider Darain, Amir Zeb, Syed Muhammad Ilyas, Shah Khalid. (2019) MORTALITY AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AT PARAPLEGIC CENTER PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN, KHYBER MEDICAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL, Volume 11, Issue 2.
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