Epidemiological Features of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Elderly in Ilam

Background: Spinal cord injuries are neurological disorders characterized by varying degrees of damage to the spinal cord. Objectives: Considering the increase in the elderly population, identifying the prevalence and factors affecting the development of spinal cord lesions in this group can provide valuable results for researchers. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of spinal cord injuries in the elderly in Ilam city. Methods: In this retrospective study, patients who were hospitalized due to spinal cord trauma, as diagnosed by a doctor, were included. Information was collected using the results of radiography, radiology, and CT scans, along with patient files, demographic profile forms, and a researcher - made checklist. The definition of spinal cord injury included the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions. Results: The results showed that most of the patients were male, with a rate of 256 (67.6%). The number of patients with damage in each area was as follows: 43 in the cervical area, 61 in the thoracic area, and 54 in the lumbar area. Additionally, the study results showed that 17 (4.5%) of the patients had infections, 35 (9.2%) had hyponatremia, 32 (8.4%) had bedsores, 30 (7.9%) had urinary complications, 21 (5.5%) had thrombosis, and 15 (3.9%) had other complications. Conclusions: Considering the significant prevalence of spinal cord injuries among the elderly in Ilam city, it is necessary to implement interventions to prevent these injuries in this population.