Epidemiological Features of Spinal Cord Injury in China: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe condition that disrupts patients' physiological, mental, and social well-being state and exerts great financial burden on patients, their families and social healthcare system. This review intends to compile studies regarding epidemiological features of SCI in China.Methods: Searches were conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library for relevant studies published through January, 2018. Studies reported methodological and epidemiological data were collected by two authors independently.Results: Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. Two studies reported incidence of SCI that is 60.6 in Beijing (2002) and 23.7 in Tianjin (2004–2008). All studies showed male had a larger percentage in SCI compared to female except Taiwan (2000–2003). The average male and female ratio was 3–4:1 in China and the highest male and female ratio was 5.74: 1 in Tianjin (2004–2007). Farmers, laborers and unemployed people accounted for more than half of the SCI patients in China. Fall was the primary causation with exception of Heilongjiang (2009–2013), Beijing (2001–2010), and Taiwan (2002–2003), where motor vehicle collision (MCVs) was the leading causation. Pulmonary infection, urinary tract infection and bedsore were common complications, accounting for approximately 70% of SCI patients in China.Conclusion: This review shows that epidemiological features of SCI are various in different regions in China and prevention should be implemented by regions. The number of patients with SCI result from fall and MCVs may become a main public health problem because population aging and economic developing in China. However, because all included studies were retrospective and lacking a register system in China, some data were incomplete and some cases may be left out, so the conclusion may not be generalizable to the other regions.

Epidemiological characteristics of spinal cord injury in Northwest China: a single hospital-based study

“…A recent systematic review that included 17 studies in China showed that the epidemiological features of SCI vary among different regions of China; therefore, targeted prevention interventions should be implemented by region. Further, SCI resulting from falls and MVCs may become a major public health concern as the population ages and the economy continues to develop in China [10]. Compared to other areas of China, northwest China has several unique characteristics.…”

Local delivery of USC-derived exosomes harboring ANGPTL3 enhances spinal cord functional recovery after injury by promoting angiogenesis

“…Epidemiological data have demonstrated that the annual incidence of SCI is 15–40 cases per million and is rising worldwide [ 2 ]. China has a large number of SCI patients, with an estimated incidence of SCI of 60.6 per million in Beijing [ 3 ]. The financial burden associated with SCI is staggering, but despite major advances in the medical treatment for SCI in experimental animals, no fully restorative therapies currently exist for mammalian SCI.…”

Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Caused by Low Falls and High falls: A Comparative Study

“…Injuries caused by falls represented 49.8% of cases in Saint Petersburg from 2012 to 2016, and elderly women more often suffered from low falls than men (6). A systematic review on an epidemiological survey of SCI in China showed that falls resulted in 23.9-65.3% of all SCI cases, and that falls were the primary causation of injury in most cities of China (7). Moreover, another retrospective investigation inn Northwest China from 2014 to 2018 showed that falls resulted in 85.1% (low falls 47.7%, high falls 37.3%) of all SCI cases (8).…”