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30- and 90-Day Readmission Rates Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Publisher



Hesari M1 ; Alizadeh SD1 ; Malekzadeh H1 ; Tabrizi R2 ; Jalalifar MR1 ; Shahmohammadi A1 ; Eskandari Z3 ; Ghodsi Z1 ; Harrop J4 ; Rahimimovaghar V1, 5
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Science, Fasa, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  5. 5. Universal Scientific Education and Research Network, Tehran, Iran

Source: Global Spine Journal Published:2025


Abstract

Study Design: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. Objective: To assess the 30- and 90-day readmission rates after a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE and Embase was performed. The period was from inception to June 2022, with no language restrictions. All studies investigating the 30- and/or 90-day readmission rate following traumatic SCI were included. A random-effects model to combine effect sizes in our meta-analysis was applied. Results: Seven out of 2959 reports met eligibility. The mean age of the patients was 50.2 ± 19.9, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.4:1. The most common traumatic SCI was cervical injury (55.3%). The meta-analysis model revealed a 30-day readmission rate of 14.2% after traumatic SCI, with heterogeneity in the studies. The 90-day readmission rate was 35.7%, with homogeneity in the studies. The meta-regression analysis found significant positive associations between cervical and thoracolumbar injuries and patient age and the 30-day readmission rate, while male sex demonstrated a negative association with the 30-day readmission rate. The 30-day readmission rate following index admission was 13.1% and the 30-day readmission rate after rehabilitation facilities was 15.8%. The study found that the 30-day readmission rate in the USA was 14.0%. Conclusions: There is no doubt that readmission is an adverse health outcome. The outcome is also complex and multifaceted, which makes it difficult to predict. Injury level is 1 of the predictors that affect readmission, making it essential to consider factors during discharge planning for high-risk people to reduce 30-day readmission rates. © The Author(s) 2024.