An epidemiological study of traumatic spinal cord injuries in the fastest aging area in Japan.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in the fastest aging area in Japan.

SETTING: Hospitals in Akita Prefecture, Japan. Akita Prefecture has the highest ratio of people aged 65 or older in Japan (30.4% in 2012 and 34.6% in 2016).

METHODS: Patients with acute TSCI who required hospital treatment between 2012 and 2016 were included. The incidence of TSCI, cause, level, skeletal injury, and Frankel grade were investigated.

RESULTS: The mean annual incidence of TSCI excluding Frankel E was 86 per million (range 86-104 per million) during the 5-year study period, with a mean age of 65.9 years (male, 75.1%) and patients in their 60s as the largest age group. Cervical injury was seen in 89.8%, and cervical TSCI without skeletal injury was seen in 65.5%. Frankel D was the most common neurological deficit (53.5%). The most common cause was falls on level surfaces (32.1%), followed by low falls (21.6%) and road traffic accidents (15.6%).

CONCLUSIONS: Recent incidence and characteristics of TSCI in the fastest aging society in Japan are presented. The incidence of incomplete cervical TSCI and falls on level surfaces appear to be increasing.