Disclosures: Stacey C. Isidro, MD: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Background and/or Objectives: Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a significant burden to the healthcare system as well as patient quality of life. Recovery and rehabilitation following SCI are essential to improved outcomes. The present study aims to provide data and trends for patients with SCI.

Design: Retrospective study

Setting: Spinal cord injuries throughout the United States were queried through the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for 2016-2018.

Participants: Patients diagnosed with an initial encounter for SCI.

Interventions: n/a

Main Outcome Measures: The following outcome measures were analyzed for each year: total number and percentages of discharges, age, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition.

Results: From 2016-2018, there was approximately a 20% increase in the total number of discharges (8,470 in 2016 to 10,260 in 2018). The average age was 55 years. The mean LOS remained the same at 12 days with the median being 7-8 days. Further, the number of deaths of patients with SCI during hospitalization decreased from 7.14% in 2016 to 5.90% in 2018. Regarding disposition, the majority of patients (60%) were discharged to nursing home/rehabilitation with a range of 20-23% of patients having a routine discharge followed by 5% each to home health and short term hospitalizations, and 0.8% leaving against medical advice.

Conclusions: This study provides insight on the trends affecting patients with new SCI and further research may help optimize resources for this patient population based on risk stratification and expected outcomes.

Level of Evidence: Level III

« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2022

PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/trends-in-resource-utilization-and-the-rate-of-spinal-cord-injury-throughout-the-united-states/