Epidemiology, Demographics, and Pathophysiology of Acute Spinal Cord Injury
Top Cited Papers
- 1 December 2001
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Spine
- Vol. 26 (Supplement), S2-S12
- https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-200112151-00002
Abstract
Spinal cord injury occurs through various countries throughout the world with an annual incidence of 15 to 40 cases per million, with the causes of these injuries ranging from motor vehicle accidents and community violence to recreational activities and workplace-related injuries. Survival has improved along with a greater appreciation of patterns of presentation, survival, and complications. Despite much work having been done, the only treatment to date known to ameliorate neurologic dysfunction that occurs at or below the level of neurologic injury has been intravenous methylprednisolone therapy. Much research over the past 30 to 40 years has focused on elucidating the mechanisms of spinal cord injury, with the complex pathophysiologic processes slowly being unraveled. With a greater understanding of both primary and secondary mechanisms of injury, the roles of calcium, free radicals, sodium, excitatory amino acids, vascular mediators, and apoptosis have been elucidated. This review examines the epidemiology, demographics, and pathophysiology of acute spinal cord injury.Keywords
This publication has 95 references indexed in Scilit:
- Programmed Cell Death in the Developing Nervous SystemNeuron, 1996
- Update on the Pathophysiology and Pathology of Acute Spinal Cord InjuryBrain Pathology, 1995
- ApoptosisImmunology Today, 1993
- Changes in epidemiology of acute spinal cord injury from 1947 to 1981Surgical Neurology, 1993
- Pathophysiology of spinal cord traumaAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 1993
- A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Methylprednisolone or Naloxone in the Treatment of Acute Spinal-Cord InjuryNew England Journal of Medicine, 1990
- Effects of deep barbiturate coma on acute spinal cord injury in the catSurgical Neurology, 1984
- Glucocorticoid mechanisms in acute spinal cord injury: A review and therapeutic rationaleSurgical Neurology, 1982
- Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone Improves Neurologic Recovery after Spinal Trauma in CatsNew England Journal of Medicine, 1981
- The prognosis of patients sustaining severe cervical spine injury (C2-C7 inclusive)Spinal Cord, 1980