Nurdan Korkmaz1, Gokhan Yardımcı1, Mert Koç1, Bilge Yılmaz1. 1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Gaziler Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with transverse myelitis (TM) and to compare functional status between those patients and a matched group with traumatic spinal cord injury (T-SCI). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: A tertiary rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The demographic and clinical characteristics of 484 T-SCI patients and 25 TM patients were compared. Functional status was further analyzed by matching the two groups. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The matched patients were compared in terms of motor and sensory functions, bladder and bowel symptoms, ambulation level, the Rivermead Mobility Index, and SCI-related medical complications. RESULTS: The mean age of the TM patients was 35.6 years and was similar to that of the T-SCI patients. There were significantly more females in the TM group (P = 0.017). Individuals with TM had fewer cervical injuries (P = 0.032) and a higher rate of paraplegia (P = 0.047) and were more often incomplete (P = 0.009) than those with T-SCI. Sensory function was significantly better in the TM group compared to the matched T-SCI group (P = 0.05). Independent ambulation frequency was higher in the TM patients. The SCI-related complications seen in the TM group were as common as those in the T-SCI group. CONCLUSION: The TM and T-SCI groups differed in terms of the demographic and clinical characteristics recorded. Additionally, when matched for these differences, functional status was slightly better in the TM group. However, like T-SCI, TM was a significant cause of disability and SCI-related complications were common.
OBJECTIVES: To identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with transverse myelitis (TM) and to compare functional status between those patients and a matched group with traumatic spinal cord injury (T-SCI). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: A tertiary rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The demographic and clinical characteristics of 484 T-SCI patients and 25 TM patients were compared. Functional status was further analyzed by matching the two groups. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The matched patients were compared in terms of motor and sensory functions, bladder and bowel symptoms, ambulation level, the Rivermead Mobility Index, and SCI-related medical complications. RESULTS: The mean age of the TM patients was 35.6 years and was similar to that of the T-SCI patients. There were significantly more females in the TM group (P = 0.017). Individuals with TM had fewer cervical injuries (P = 0.032) and a higher rate of paraplegia (P = 0.047) and were more often incomplete (P = 0.009) than those with T-SCI. Sensory function was significantly better in the TM group compared to the matched T-SCI group (P = 0.05). Independent ambulation frequency was higher in the TM patients. The SCI-related complications seen in the TM group were as common as those in the T-SCI group. CONCLUSION: The TM and T-SCI groups differed in terms of the demographic and clinical characteristics recorded. Additionally, when matched for these differences, functional status was slightly better in the TM group. However, like T-SCI, TM was a significant cause of disability and SCI-related complications were common.
Authors: J de Seze; C Lanctin; C Lebrun; I Malikova; C Papeix; S Wiertlewski; J Pelletier; O Gout; C Clerc; C Moreau; G Defer; G Edan; F Dubas; P Vermersch Journal: Neurology Date: 2005-12-27 Impact factor: 9.910