An analysis of the length of stay in traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injured patients. A rehabilitation unit experience in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: To determine and analyze the influence of age, gender, type of injury, and ethnicity in the length of stay (LoS) of in-patient rehabilitation unit patients after traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) and non- traumatic spinal cord injury (NTSCI).

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients who completed the TSCI and NTSCI rehabilitation program at Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from January 2005 to October 2008. Admission records of 495 traumatic spinal cord injured (male 404, female 91; mean age 34.3–0.68 years) and 126 non-traumatic spinal cord injured patients (male 81, female 45; mean age 45–1.56 years) were identified. We excluded patients aged </= 10 and >/= 81 years due to the small proportion. The influence of age, gender, type of injury, and ethnic differences in the LoS were analyzed.

RESULTS: Compared with TSCI, patients with NTSCI had a significantly (p=0.035) shorter LoS (58.8±1.68, 46.2±2.1). The frequency of the TSCI was higher in the 21-30 age groups and lower in the 71-80 age group. Compared with TSCI, the frequency of NTSCI was less in all age groups. The LoS of male was longer than the female in all age groups. The LoS of Saudi patients were higher in TSCI (p=0.021) and NTSCI rehabilitation program compared with the non-Saudis.

CONCLUSION: The results of the study suggest that the gender, types of injury, and ethnicity differences were influencing factors of LoS of traumatic and non traumatic spinal cord injured patients.