Reabilitação com estimulação elétrica muscular em lesados medulares: aspectos epidemiológicos

To assess epidemiological profile of spinal cord injury outpatients which have been participating of rehabilitation programme using neuromuscular electrical stimulation, in order to implement campaigns for preventing spinal cord trauma.From January to April 2009, 30 patients at the spinal cord injury ambulatory clinic at Hospital das Clínicas of Unicamp were analysed by some epidemiologic characteristics: age, profession, type and level of their paralysis, origin and time of injury.All patients had complete spinal cord injury (ASIA); 24 patients were men and six were women, the mean age was 34.6 years (range, 10-64 years), two patients were children. Twenty-one patients were paraplegic and nine were tetraplegic; causes included automobile accident (12), run over (three), diving (four), bicycle accident (one), motorcycle accident (three), gunshot wound (six), thoracic tuberculosis (one), and lumbar surgery (one). The mean lesion time was 8.2 years (range, 1-15 years). Two patients were retired.The results suggested that spinal cord injury affects mainly young active men. It is necessary to develop incisive actions to prevent accidents, specially directed to traffic security.