Hospital Care of Postacute Spinal Cord Lesion Patients in Italy
- 1 August 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Vol. 87 (8), 619-626
- https://doi.org/10.1097/phm.0b013e31815e8145
Abstract
To define the clinical characteristics of hospital readmissions of subjects with spinal cord lesion. Prospective, multicenter, 2-yr survey in 32 spinal cord lesion centers in Italy. Readmitted traumatic or nontraumatic spinal cord lesion patients were included. Main outcome measures were number of readmissions, their causes, complications on admission, and length of stay. Out of 2070 total admissions of patients with spinal cord lesion, 1056 (51.0%) were readmissions. The median period between the onset of disease and readmission was 3.4 yrs. A program of functional gain was the main cause of readmission (33%). A pressure sore was reported in 20.6% of cases on readmission. Readmission for a program of functional gain was correlated to nontraumatic and incomplete lesions. Readmission necessary for clinical complications was correlated to traumatic spinal cord lesion and completeness of the lesion. A longer length of stay correlated with cause of readmission, admission to rehabilitation centers, and nontraumatic origin. Readmissions account for more than half of total admissions to centers for spinal cord lesion in Italy. The main burden is represented by a program of functional gain, pressure sores, and urological complications.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- A prospective assessment of mortality in chronic spinal cord injurySpinal Cord, 2005
- Spinal cord lesion management in Italy: a 2-year surveySpinal Cord, 2003
- An Italian survey of traumatic spinal cord injury. The Gruppo Italiano Studio Epidemiologico Mielolesioni studyArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2003
- Hospital readmissions in people with chronic spinal cord injury.Spinal Cord, 2000
- Current research outcomes from the Model Spinal Cord Injury Care Systems.Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 1999
- A review of the readmissions of patients with tetraplegia to the Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, Southport, United Kingdom, between January 1994 and December 1995.Spinal Cord, 1998
- Inpatient hospital utilization among veterans with traumatic spinal cord injuryArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 1996
- Predicting unplanned hospitalizations in persons with spinal cord injuryArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 1994
- Predictors of medical care utilization by independently living adults with spinal cord injuriesArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 1989
- Changing demographic profile of the spinal cord injury population: implications for health care support systemsSpinal Cord, 1985