Study authors examined data from the National and Nationwide Inpatient Samples for 2001, 2002, 2011 and 2012, including spinal fracture patients with and without spinal cord injury. There were 159,875 patients included in the study; 141,737 reported fractures without SCI and the remaining 18,138 had SCI. Study authors found:
1. From 2001 to 2012, there was a statistically significant decrease in SCI patients undergoing interhospital transfers. In the early years, 4.2 percent were transferred, compared to 3.4 percent in the later years.
2. Patient transfers for SCI also decreased from 8.1 percent in the early years to 6.5 percent in the later years.
3. Mortality rate remained similar over time, hovering from 3.5 percent to 3.6 percent, for overall cases. However, patients with SCI reported increased mortality rates at 6.6 percent to 7.4 percent.
4. The study authors theorized spine care becoming less centralized could be responsible for the increased mortality over time among SCI patients.
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