Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 51-1CompleteIssue | Page 45

42
S. Tarvonen-Schröder et al.
Table I. Demographic and clinical data for the participants with complete and partial tetraplegia and paraplegia
Variables
Age, years, mean (SD)
Years since diagnosis, mean (SD)
Number of comorbidities, mean (SD)
Charlson comorbidity index, mean (SD)
Education in years, mean (SD)
Sex, male, n (%)
Still working, n (%)
Cohabiting, n (%)
Institutionalized, n (%)
Aetiology
Traumatic
Spinal stenosis/ myelopathy/tumour
AIS grade A/B/C/D
Segment C1–4/C5–7/Th1–11
Th12–S2/S3–5
Total
(n  = 142) Tetraplegia
AIS A–B
(n  = 13) Tetraplegia
AIS C–D
(n  = 58) Paraplegia
AIS A–B
(n  = 23) Paraplegia AIS
C–D
(n  = 48) 56.7 (16.9)
8.8 (9.8)
1.1 (1.0)
0.5 (0.7)
11.5 (2.6)
75 (52.8)
19 (13.4)
82 (57.8)
8 (5.6) 52.3 (16.5)
12.1 (10.8)
0.8 (0.8)
0.5 (0.7)
11.5 (2.4)
10 (76.9)
1 (7.7)
5 (38.5)
4 (30.8) 61.2 (15.8)
6.4 (9.3)
1.1 (1.1)
0.3 (0.7)
12.4 (4.0)
28 (48.3)
8 (13.8)
31 (53.4)
3 (5.2) 53.2 (18.6)
10.6 (10.5)
1.1 (1.1)
0.6 (0.9)
10.6 (2.8)
13 (56.5)
2 (8.7)
14 (60.9)
1 (4.4) 60.0 (16.6)
6.2 (8.4)
1.4 (1.2)
0.6 (0.8)
11.4 (3.0)
24 (50.0)
8 (16.7)
32 (66.7)
0 (0.0) ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
17 (29.3) 16 (69.6) 14 (29.2) 0.0001
57 (40.1)
10 (76.9)
74 (52.1)/8 (5.7)/3 (2.1)
27 (19.0)/9 (6.3)/17 (12.0)/89 (62.7)
p-value
6 (4.2) a /7 (4.9)/107 (75.4)
18 (12.7)/4 (2.8)
a
Three with ventilatory aid.
AIS: ASIA (American Spinal Cord Injury Association) Impairment Scale; ns: not significant; SD: standard deviation.
Table II. Physician-rated generic set scores by severity and level of spinal cord injury
Variable Tetraplegia AIS A–B
(n  = 13)
Mean (SD) Tetraplegia AIS C–D
(n  = 58)
Mean (SD) Paraplegia AIS A–B
(n  = 23)
Mean (SD) Paraplegia AIS C–D
(n  = 48)
Mean (SD) p-value
Generic set sum score (0–28)
Energy and drive functions (0–4)
Emotional functions
Sensation of pain
Daily activities
Walking
Moving around
Remunerative employment 25.2 (6.1)
0.9 (0.8)
1.1 (1.0)
1.8 (1.2)
2.9 (1.2)
4.0 (0.0)
4.0 (0.0)
3.8 (0.6) 15.6 (4.0)
1.2 (0.8)
1.2 (0.8)
1.9 (1.0)
1.9 (1.0)
2.3 (1.0)
3.4 (0.9)
3.6 (0.8) 18.4 (2.9)
1.1 (0.8)
1.2 (0.8)
1.8 (1.1)
2.4 (0.7)
4.0 (0.2)
4.0 (0.0)
3.8 (0.5) 15.0 (4.0)
1.0 (0.8)
1.1 (0.9)
1.9 (0.9)
1.6 (0.8)
2.5 (0.9)
3.5 (0.6)
3.5 (1.0) < 0.001
ns
ns
ns
0.0001
< 0.0001
< 0.001
ns
Score of each item 0–4, 0 = no difficulty, 4 = total inability.
AIS: ASIA (American Spinal Cord Injury Association) Impairment Scale.
(tetraplegia, n = 71) were compared with those with a
more caudal lesion (paraplegia, n = 71), no between-
group differences were found.
When functioning was rated by patients and their
significant others (WHODAS 2.0, Table III), the total
disability score showed severe impairment in all patient
groups. Difficulties reported in cognition, participation,
and relationships remained mild, with the exception of
moderate impairment in community life in those with
a partial tetraplegia. All patient groups reported severe
difficulties in standing, walking, and working ability,
the restrictions being most severe in those with tetra-
plegia. When comparing tetraplegic and paraplegic
groups, similar between-group differences were also
Table III. Functioning assessed with patient and proxy WHODAS 2.0 by severity and level of injury
Rated by patients
Rated by significant others
Variables Tetraplegia
AIS A–B
(n = 13)
Mean (SD) Tetraplegia
AIS C–D
(n = 58)
Mean (SD)
Paraplegia
AIS A–B
(n = 23)
Mean (SD)
Total score (0–48)
Standing (0–4)
Household tasks
Learning
Community life
Emotional functions
Concentrating
Walking
Washing oneself
Dressing oneself
Dealing with strangers
Maintaining friendships
Working ability 25.2 (6.1)
3.9 (0.3)
3.2 (1.3)
0.2 (0.4)
0.9 (1.4)
1.6 (1.4)
0.3 (0.8)
4.0 (0.0)
3.5 (0.9)
3.2 (1.1)
0.8 (1.0)
0.7 (1.0)
2.9 (1.7) 21.0 (10,2) 18.8 (6.1)
2.9 (1.4)
4.0 (0.0)
2.6 (1.3)
1.9 (1.4)
0.3 (0.5)
0.2 (0.4)
1.8 (1.4)
1.1 (1.0)
1.8 (1.1)
1.2 (1.0)
0.7 (1.2)
0.5 (0.9)
2.9 (1.4)
4.0 (0.0)
1.9 (1.5)
1.4 (1.2)
1.8 (1.4)
1.4 (1.2)
0.5 (0.9)
0.3 (0.9)
1.1 (1.3)
0.6 (0.9)
2.8 (1.5)
2.2 (1.6)
Paraplegia
AIS C–D
(n = 48)
Mean (SD) p-value
16.3 (8.8)
3.0 (1.3)
2.1 (1.3)
0.2 (0.4)
1.4 (1.1)
1.3 (1.0)
0.5 (0.8)
2.8 (1.5)
1.3 (1.4)
1.3 (1.4)
0.3 (0.7)
0.4 (0.6)
2.1 (1.5)
< 0.01
25.9 (8.6)
0.0001 3.9 (0.3)
< 0.01
2.8 (1.6)
ns
0.4 (0.7)
< 0.05
1.0 (1.3)
ns
1.7 (1.6)
ns
0.6 (1.3)
0.0001 4.0 (0.0)
< 0.0001 3.6 (0.7)
< 0.0001 3.2 (1.1)
ns
0.8 (1.2)
< 0.01
1.1 (1.2)
ns
2.8 (1.7)
Score of each item 0–4, 0 = no difficulty, 4 = total inability.
AIS: ASIA (American Spinal Cord Injury Association) Impairment Scale; ns: not significant.
www.medicaljournals.se/jrm
Tetraplegia
AIS A–B
(n = 10)
Mean (SD)
Tetraplegia
AIS C–D
(n = 29)
Mean (SD) Paraplegia
AIS A–B
(n = 17)
Mean (SD) Paraplegia
AIS C–D
(n = 29)
Mean (SD) p-value
21.6 (9.7)
2.9 (1.2)
2.6 (1.4)
0.2 (0.5)
2.0 (1.1)
2.0 (1.1)
0.7 (0.9)
2.8 (1.3)
1.9 (1.4)
1.9 (1.4)
0.6 (0.9)
1.2 (1.4)
2.9 (1.4) 19.7 (6.5)
4.0 (0.0)
2.1 (1.5)
0.3 (0.6)
0.9 (0.9)
1.2 (0.8)
0.5 (0.8)
4.0 (0.0)
1.9 (1.4)
1.6 (1.4)
0.2 (0.6)
0.8 (1.1)
2.3 (1.6) 17.8 (9.5)
2.9 (1.4)
2.3 (1.4)
0.3 (0.7)
1.7 (1.3)
1.5 (1.1)
0.6 (0.9)
3.0 (1.3)
1.4 (1.6)
1.3 (1.4)
0.4 (0.7)
0.4 (0.6)
1.9 (1.6)
ns
< 0.01
ns
ns
< 0.05
ns
ns
< 0.001
< 0.01
< 0.01
ns
ns
ns