Motor Recovery, Functional Status, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Complete Spinal Cord Injuries
Charles G. Fisher, Vanessa K. Noonan, Donna E. Smith, Peter C. Wing, Marcel F. Dvorak, and Brian Kwon
Spine, 2005
All patients admitted to Vancouver Hospital with a complete spinal cord injury (SCI) between 1994 and 2001 were identified and included in the study if they remained complete following the resolution of spinal shock. Minimum 2-year follow-up consisted of an ASIA motor score, an FIM, and the SF-36. Of 133 patients identified, 94 were eligible and 70 completed follow-up. For the tetraplegic patients, the average ASIA motor score was 11.9 +/- 10.7 on admission and 20.1 +/- 10.8 at follow-up, a change reflecting local recovery only. For the paraplegic patients, the average ASIA motor score was 49.3 +/- 2.4 on admission and 50.6 +/- 1.7 at follow-up.Motor recovery does not occur below the zone of injury for patients with complete SCI.