Population-based prospective study. ObjectiveTo provide a population-based description of length of stay (LOS) and person-related risk factors following emergency hospital admission due to a secondary health condition (SHC) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Setting:Specialized SCI hospital and rehabilitation center in Switzerland. MethodsDescriptive analysis of LOS using routine clinical data of persons with SCI, who were acutely hospitalized between 01.01.2017-30.06.2018. Multivariable regression analysis was used to derive marginal predictions of LOS by emergency SHCs and person characteristics. ResultsThe study included 183 persons, 83% were male, and the median age was 57 years (interquartile range, IQR, 49-67 years). SCI cause was traumatic in 160 (88.4%) cases, 92 (50.3%) were persons with tetraplegia, 147 (80.3%) were classi ed as motor complete lesions (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) A or B) and median time since injury (TSI) was 24 (IQR 13-34) years. Median LOS was 19 (IQR 9-39) days, varying from 74 (IQR 39-92) days for pressure ulcers, 13 (IQR 8-24) days for urinary tract infections (UTI), to 27 (IQR 18-47) days for fractures. LOS was prolonged in persons with multiple co-morbidities or those developing complications during hospitalization. Sex, SCI etiology and lesion level were not associated with LOS. ConclusionThis population-based description identi ed substantial variation in LOS between emergency SHCs and clinical complications as the main, potentially modi able, person-related risk factors for extended hospital stay.