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[Resumen] Objetivo. Valorar en individuos con lesión medular traumática (LMT) la relación entre la mortalidad y la necesidad de UCI y las alteraciones objetivadas mediante resonancia magnética (RM) precoz, analizando alteraciones parenquimatosas, disrupción de ligamentos vertebrales (DLV) y compresión del cordón medular (CCM). Diseño. Estudio retrospectivo. Ámbito. Hospital de tercer nivel, unidad de lesionados medulares y UCI. Pacientes. Individuos con LMT aguda entre los años 2010 y 2019. Intervenciones. Análisis de RM realizada en las primeras 72 horas. Variables de interés. Ingreso en UCI y mortalidad. Resultados. Recogidos 269 casos. El patrón que se asoció a una mayor mortalidad fue la hemorragia (16,7%) por 12,5% de los edemas a un nivel y 6,5% de los edemas a múltiples niveles (p = 0,125). Lo mismo aconteció con los ingresos en UCI: 69,0% en hemorragia por 60,2% en edema múltiple y 46,3% en edemas cortos (p = 0,018). Con respecto a la CCM, la mortalidad fue del 13,4% con 59,2% de ingresos en UCI por 2,2% y 42,2% de quienes no presentaban compresión (p = 0,020 y p = 0,003). Las cifras de éxitus e ingreso en UCI en los individuos con DLV fueron del 15,0% y el 67,3%, respectivamente, por un 6,2% y 44,4% de los individuos sin DLV (p < 0,001 y p = 0,013). Conclusiones. La presencia de hemorragia medular, CCM y DLV se asoció a una mayor necesidad de UCI. Existe un significativo aumento de la mortalidad en los casos con CCM y DLV., [Abstract] Objective. To assess in individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) the relationship between mortality and need for ICU and early magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), analyzing spinal parenchymal alterations, disruption of vertebral ligaments (DVL) and spinal cord compression (SCC). Design. Retrospective study. Setting. Third-level hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Unit and ICU. Patients. Individuals with acute TSCI between 2010 and 2019. Intervention. Analysis of MRI performed in the first 72 h. Variables of interest. Admission to ICU and mortality. Results. 269 cases collected. The pattern that demonstrated higher mortality was cord hemorrhage (16.7%) for 12.5% of single-level edema and 6.5% of multilevel edema (p = 0.125). The same happened with ICU admissions: 69.0% in hemorrhage, 60.2% in multilevel edema and 46.3% in short edema (p = 0.018). Analyzing CCM, mortality was 13.4% with 59.2% of ICU admissions, for 2.2% and 42.2% of individuals without cord compression (p = 0.020 and p = 0.003). The figures of death and ICU admission among cord injuries with DVL were 15.0% and 67.3%, for 6.2% and 44.4% of the individuals without DLV (p < 0.001 and p = 0.013). Conclusions. The presence of spinal cord hemorrhage, SCC and DVL was associated with a higher admission in ICU. A significant increase in mortality was observed in cases with SCC and DVL.

[Abstract] Study design: Observational study with prospective and retrospective monitoring. Objective: To describe the epidemiological and demographic characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), and to analyze its epidemiological changes. Setting: Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, in Galicia (Spain). Methods: The study included patients with TSCI who had been hospitalized between January 1995 and December 2014. Relevant data were extracted from the admissions registry and electronic health record. Results: A total of 1195 patients with TSCI were admitted over the specified period of time; 76.4% male and 23.6% female. Mean patient age at injury was 50.20 years. Causes of injury were falls (54.2%), traffic accidents (37%), sports/leisure-related accidents (3.5%) and other traumatic causes (5.3%). Mean patient age increased significantly over time (from 46.40 to 56.54 years), and the number of cases of TSCI related to traffic accidents decreased (from 44.5% to 23.7%), whereas those linked to falls increased (from 46.9% to 65.6%). The most commonly affected neurological level was the cervical level (54.9%), increasing in the case of levels C1–C4 over time, and the most frequent ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) grade was A (44.3%). The crude annual incidence rate was 2.17/100 000 inhabitants, decreasing significantly over time at an annual percentage rate change of −1.4%. Conclusions: The incidence rate of TSCI tends to decline progressively. Mean patient age has increased over time and cervical levels C1–C4 are currently the most commonly affected ones. These epidemiological changes will eventually result in adjustments in the standard model of care for TSCI.

[Abstract] Study design. Descriptive retrospective study. Objectives. To analyze risk factors associated with mechanical ventilation (MV) in cases of acute traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury (tCSCI). Setting. Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, in Galicia (Spain). Methods. The study included patients with tCSCI who were hospitalized between January 2010 and December 2014. The following variables were analyzed: age, gender, etiology, neurological level, ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) grade, associated injuries, injury severity score (ISS), ASIA motor score (AMS) at admission and mortality. Results. A total of 146 patients met the study’s inclusion criteria. The majority were men (74.7%) with mean age of 62.6 (s.d. ± 18.8) years. Sixty patients (41.1%) required MV. Mean age of ventilated vs. non-ventilated patients was 57.3 vs. 65.7. Men were more likely to require MV than women, ASIA grades A and B were also more likely to need MV than grades C and D, as well as patients with associated injuries. The AMS of patients receiving MV was lower than that of those who did not require MV (20.1 vs. 54.3). Moreover, the ISS was higher in patients receiving MV (31.2 vs. 13.4). An AMS ≤ 37 and an ISS ≥ 13 increased the risk of requiring MV by a factor of 11.98 and 7.28, respectively. Conclusions. Isolated factors associated with a greater risk of MV in tCSCI were: age, gender, ASIA grade, ISS and AMS. However, the only factor with a significant discriminatory ability to determine the need for MV was the AMS at admission.

Spinal cord injury is a strong risk factor for venous thromboembolism, entity that encludes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, this being a potentially reversible cause of cardiac arrest. We report the case of a young male with complete spinal cord injury (ASIA grade A) level C6 suffering cardiac arrest by massive pulmonary embolism secondary to deep vein thrombosis in the left lower limb in the 6th week of admission. We report the incidence of both entities in acute spinal cord injury and their pathophysiology, prevention and treatment; We emphasize the importance of identifying cardiac arrest and early initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by health workers and analyze the consequences of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury resulting from cardiac arrest recovered, La lesión medular es un factor de riesgo importante para la enfermedad tromboembólica venosa, entidad que engloba la trombosis venosa profunda y el tromboembolismo pulmonar, siendo este una causa potencialmente reversible de parada cardíaca. Presentamos el caso de un varón joven con lesión medular completa (grado ASIA A) con nivel C6 que sufre una parada cardíaca por tromboembolismo pulmonar masivo secundario a trombosis venosa profunda en extremidad inferior izquierda en la 6ª semana de ingreso. Exponemos la incidencia de ambas entidades en la lesión medular aguda así como su fisiopatología, profilaxis y tratamiento; destacamos la importancia de la identificación de la parada cardíaca e inicio precoz de las maniobras de reanimación cardiopulmonar por el personal sanitario y analizamos las consecuencias de la lesión cerebral hipóxico-isquémica derivada de una parada cardíaca recuperada.

[Abstract] Background: Patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) exhibit factors that, in other populations, have been associated with rhabdomyolysis. Purpose: The aim of the study is to determine the incidence of rhabdomyolysis in patients with acute traumatic SCI admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as well as the development of secondary acute kidney injury and associated factors. Study design and setting: This was an observational, retrospective study. Patient sample: All adult patients admitted to the ICU with acute traumatic SCI who presented rhabdomyolysis, diagnosed through creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels >500 IU/L. Outcome measures: Incidence of rhabdomyolysis and subsequent renal dysfunction was calculated. Materials and methods: Data about demographic variables, comorbidity, rhabdomyolysis risk factors, and variables involving SCI, severity scores, and laboratory parameters were obtained from clinical records. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify renal injury risk factors. Results: In 2006-2014, 200 patients with acute SCI were admitted to ICU. Of these, 103 had rhabdomyolysis (incidence = 51.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 44.3%-58.7%). The most typical American Spinal Injury Association classification was A (70.3%). The injury severity score was 30.3 ± 12.1 and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was 5.6 ± 3.3 points. During their stay, 57 patients (55.3%; 95% CI: 45.2%-65.4%) presented renal dysfunction (creatinine ≥1.2 mg/dL). In the multivariate analysis, variables associated with renal dysfunction were creatinine at admission (odds ratio [OR] = 9.20; P = 0.006) and hemodynamic SOFA score the day following admission (OR = 1.33; P = 0.024). Creatinine was a better predictor of renal dysfunction than the peak CPK value during the rhabdomyolysis (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.91 vs. 0.63, respectively). Conclusions: Rhabdomyolysis is a frequent condition in patients wi