Major Cause Of Spinal Cord Injury Research Articles

Stem Cell Scaffolds for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury-A Review.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a profoundly debilitating yet common central nervous system condition resulting in significant morbidity and mortality rates. Major causes of SCI encompass traumatic incidences such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, and sports injuries. Present treatment strategies for SCI aim to improve and enhance neurologic functionality. The ability for neural stem cells (NSCs) to differentiate into diverse neural and glial cell precursors has stimulated the investigation of stem cell scaffolds as potential therapeutics for SCI. Various scaffolding modalities including composite materials, natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and hydrogels have been explored. However, most trials remain largely in the preclinical stage, emphasizing the need to further develop and refine these treatment strategies before clinical implementation. In this review, we delve into the physiological processes that underpin NSC differentiation, including substrates and signaling pathways required for axonal regrowth post-injury, and provide an overview of current and emerging stem cell scaffolding platforms for SCI.

Demographic Profile of Spinal Cord Injury Patients Admitted in a Rehabilitation Centre: An Observational Study from Bangladesh

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life threating condition which has a profound impact in the morbidity and mortality. SCI causes lifetime sufferings and mostly occur among the young adults. Not only in Bangladesh but also worldwide, SCI is a devastating and burdensome condition. This research was conducted to see the demographic profile of SCI patients in Bangladesh.
 Methods and Materials: This is a retrospective analysis where data was collected from medical records of all SCI patients admitted in between January 2012 to December 2014 from Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Savar.
 Results: A total of 1172 SCI patients were analyzed. Most of the patients were in their second to third decade of life which consisted 28.8% (n=338). Among total respondents, 86.2% (n=1010) were male and 13.8% (n=162) were female. Most of the participants 61.1% (n=716) were from rural area. The main cause of SCI was fall from height (FFH) {45.8% (n = 537)} followed by the road traffic accidents (RTA) {24.7% (n = 288)}. Overall, 52.3% (n = 613) of participants suffered from traumatic paraplegia while 60.9% (n = 714) had complete lesion. Among the total participants, 30.70% (n = 359) of participants had skeletal level C1-C7 injury. Division-wise distribution shows that FFH is a major cause of SCI {14.84% (n = 174)} followed by the RTA which is a second most common cause in 8.95% (n = 105) of participants in Dhaka division while SCI due to bull attacks and bullet injury are a major cause in Khulna division {1.02% (n = 12)} and Chittagong division respectively.
 Conclusion: The data is collected from a tertiary level of rehabilitation centre where extensive demographic data was not previously represented. In many developing countries SCI is neglected, poorly managed and deprived from society. In addition, the present study suggests that demographic factors may affect the characteristics of SCI.

Aging and Spinal Cord Injury: External Causes of Injury and Implications for Prevention.

Despite a consistent trend toward older age at time of spinal cord injury (SCI), little is known about the external causes of SCI in the elderly. To examine environmental circumstances, documented by International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes, at time of SCI among older adults. Data on individuals injured in 2005 or later were retrieved from the National SCI Database. Demographics, injury profiles, and external causes of injury were compared between the study group (age >60 years, n = 1,079) and reference group (age 16-45 years, n = 3,579) using chi-square and Student t tests. Among the elderly, falls were the most common etiology of SCI (60%), followed by transport accidents (24%) and complications of medical and surgical care (12%). In the younger group, transport accidents were the most common etiology of SCI (49%), followed by falls (22%) and assault (21%). Falls on the same level (30%), from stairs and steps (22%), and other slipping, tripping, and stumbling (11%) were the most common mechanisms of falls in the elderly group. Among motor vehicle accidents, car occupant injured in a collision with another car was the most common mechanism of injury among the elderly (28%). There is an urgent need for effective fall prevention programs among the elderly to reduce SCI in this expanding population. Details on the mechanisms of falls and other major causes of SCI among the elderly provided in this study should inform the development of future interventions for high-risk persons, activities, and environments.

Incidence of Nontraumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Spanish Cohort Study (1972–2008)

van den Berg MEE, Castellote JM, Mahillo-Fernandez I, Pedro-Cuesta J. Incidence of nontraumatic spinal cord injury: a Spanish cohort study (1972–2008). ObjectivesTo assess the incidence of nontraumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in a determined catchment area in Spain, and to evaluate clinical presentations and trends over time. DesignRetrospective cohort study between January 1972 and December 2008. SettingA hospital with a specialized SCI unit in a delimited health area in Spain. ParticipantsHospital inpatients and outpatients with nontraumatic SCI. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresAge- and sex-specific incidence rates. ResultsAn adjusted incidence rate of 11.4 per million population was found for this region (12.3 for males, 10.4 for females). A total of 541 cases (53% male) were reported over the 37-year study period. Incidence rates increased with age, with a peak in the 60- to 69-year age group. Tumors were the major cause of SCI. Most of the lesions were at the thoracic level, and C and D were the most frequently observed American Spinal Injury Association grades. ConclusionsNontraumatic SCI shows a relatively even sex distribution and tends to affect older adults. Injuries are mainly attributable to age-related conditions and result mostly in incomplete lesions, which present with paraplegia. This study revealed that although incidence rates for nontraumatic SCI are similar to those previously reported for traumatic SCI in the same area and during the same period, demographic and clinical characteristics are different. These findings have important implications regarding the delivery of rehabilitation and support services to this group of patients, and suggest the need for health policies that involve improved care and prevention resources.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries in Istanbul, Turkey. An epidemiological study.

This is a retrospective study conducted in all of the hospitals of Istanbul to survey new patients with a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in 1992. In that year 152 new traumatic SCI were identified. The estimated annual incidence was 21 per million population. The male/female ratio was 3/1. The mean age was 33, being 34 for male patients and 31 for female patients. 72% of all patients were under the age of forty. The major causes of SCI were falls (43%) and car accidents (41%), followed by being struck by an object (7%), gunshot injury (5%), stab injury (2%). Fifty patients (33%) were tetraplegic and 102 (67%) paraplegic. Regarding the tetraplegic patients the commonest level was C5, in those who were paraplegic L1. There were no cases at levels C1, T1 or T2. The commonest associated injury was head trauma, followed by fractures of an extremity (or extremities). Severe head trauma, as a major cause of death, may obscure the actual incidence of SCI in this study. Accidental falls (exceeding road accidents) were mostly due to falls from buildings and accidents on work premises.