Study design: A retrospective epidemiological study. Objective: To describe the recent epidemiological characteristics of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (TCSCI) in adults in Tianjin. Setting: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. Methods: This study included all TCSCI patients aged X15 years who were admitted to a general hospital from December 2008 to November 2011. Epidemiological characteristics including gender, age, marital status, occupation, etiology, level of injury, severity and America Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale were recorded. Results: A total of 143 patients with TCSCI were included in the study. Mean age was 54.6±14.6 years (men 53.5±14.9 years, women 54.2 ± 12.1 years), with a range of 18-87 years, and the male/female ratio was 5:1. The leading cause was falls (49.7%), followed by motor vehicle accidents (36.4%). The most common injury site was C5, accounting for 42%. In all, 74 (51.7%) patients had complications; the most common complication was hyponatremia (30.1%), followed by urinary infection (23.1%), respiratory infection (18.2%), bedsore (9.8%) and deep venous thrombosis (4.9%). As for the severity, ASIA grade D was encountered most frequently. Six patients died, five of whom died from respiratory failure. Conclusion: The epidemiology of TCSCI has its own characteristics. Falls were the leading causes, and TCSCI occurred most frequently in the middle-aged and elders. Therefore, establishing public policies aimed at preventing injuries should focus on falls and more attention should be paid to the aged regarding their vulnerability to low fall. Additionally, complications should be prevented in TCSCI patients. INTRODUCTIONTraumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a life-threatening condition that not only leads to loss of motor and sensory below the level of injury but also results in many dysfunctions of many organs, including the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary and autonomic nervous system. It is a substantial burden to the affected individuals, their families and society, because of expenses towards health-care treatments, rehabilitation and lost productivity. 1,2 Of the TSCIs, traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (TCSCI) is one of the most severe and disabling traumatic conditions. Worldwide, the global estimate of TSCI incidence lies between 10.4 and 83 per million per year; 3 however, TCSCI is the most common injury (accounting for 450%). 4,5 Every year, 11 000 cervical spinal cord injury patients require hospitalization. 6 The mean length of stay of patients with TCSCI (161 days for Frankel grade A, B or C and 102 days for grade D) is longer than that for thoracic (161 days for Frankel grade A, B or C and 64 days for grade D) and lumbar (138 days for Frankel grade A, B or C and 70 days for grade D) TSCI. 7 The TCSCI patients have the highest costs, and the complications are significantly of longer duration. 8,9 Approximately 20.6% of the TCSCI cases require tracheostomy because of compromised respiratory function. 10 Additionally, TCSCI mortali...

were reviewed. Collected variables included gender, age, marital status, ethnic group, occupation, etiology, neurological level of injury, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)-ISCoS impairment scale at admission, the severity, death and its cause, concomitant injuries and treatment choice. Results: During the study period, 354 cases were identified. Male-to-female ratio was 2.34:1, with a mean age of 50.1 ± 15.5 years. Falls (55.1%), comprising low falls and high falls (33.6% and 21.5%, respectively), were the leading cause, followed by motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) (35.9%). The most common injury site was the cervical spinal cord, especially C4-C6, accounting for 59.3%. Surgery was the major treatment choice (57.6%). Conclusion: The number of TSCI patients increased annually in our center. The mean age at the time of injury was older, and the proportion of males was higher. The leading two causes were falls and MVCs. The SCIs caused by MVCs were increasing. Peasants, workers and unemployed individuals were those at higher risk. Surgery was the major treatment choice. These data may be useful to implement those preventive strategies focused on the characteristics of different groups and pay more attention to high-risk populations.