Sex-related differences of rehabilitation outcomes of spinal cord lesion patients

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate sex-related differences of spinal cord lesion patients. PATIENTS: Two hundred and eighty-one patients were included with evaluation of: lesion to admission time, aetiology, lesion level, associated injury, medical complications and surgical intervention, length of stay, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment and motor scores. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ASIA impairment grade and ASIA motor scores; Barthel Index, Rivermead Mobility Index and Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury. RESULTS: In the entire group female patients had a lower frequency of traumatic lesions, a lower frequency of complications at admission and a higher frequency of incomplete lesions (ASIA impairment C). In the matching cohorts comparison female patients showed the same neurological and functional recovery as male patients. CONCLUSION: Gender does not seems to influence spinal cord rehabilitation outcomes despite the fact that men and women showed significant epidemiological differences. Further studies are needed to evaluate some aspects such as long-term bladder management and complications.