RESUMO
Study design Retrospective, descriptive register study. Objective To present the epidemiological and demographic characteristics of the Swedish spinal cord injury (SCI) population. Setting Rehabilitation units in Sweden connected to the national quality register for rehabilitation medicine (Svenskt Register för Rehabiliteringsmedicin: SveReh). The registry includes data from 26 units around the country. Methods Information was extracted from SveReh for patients who underwent rehabilitation for a new onset SCI between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2020. Data regarding gender, age, aetiology, level of injury, neurogenic bowel and/or bladder dysfunction, complications during the primary rehabilitation, and need for bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPap), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or ventilator were analysed. Results Mean age at onset was 56 years, and men were overrepresented (66%). Tetraplegia was more common among traumatic SCI (TSCI) than non-traumatic SCI (NTSCI). The incidence was 11.9-14.8 per million for TSCI and 8.9-11.8 per million for NTSCI. At discharge, 8% of patients needed a breathing aid. Of those who were ventilator-dependent at discharge, 75% had a TSCI. Disturbed bowel and bladder functioning was noted in 58% of patients at discharge. The median time spent at the unit was 40 days, but it was approximately 2 weeks longer for those with a TSCI. Conclusions Systematic and updated data on the Swedish SCI population show a pattern similar to Scandinavian countries with high age at onset and falls being the main cause of TSCI. The TSCI incidence was lower than in previous studies, and the results for NTSCI were novel. Sponsorship This research received no sponsorship.