The impact of sacral sensory sparing in motor complete spinal cord injury.

Objective: To determine the effect of sensory sparing in motor complete persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) on completion of rehabilitation on neurologic, functional, and social outcomes reported at 1 year.

Design: Secondary analysis of longitudinal data collected by using prospective survey-based methods.

Setting: Data submitted to the National SCI Statistical Center Database.

Participants: Of persons (N=4106) enrolled in the model system with a motor complete injury (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale [AIS] grade A or B) at the time of discharge between 1997 and 2007, a total of 2331 (56.8%) completed a 1-year follow-up interview (Form II) and 1284 (31.3%) had complete data for neurologic (eg, AIS grade, injury level) variables at 1 year.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures: AIS grade (A vs B) at 1 year, bladder management, hospitalizations, perceived health status, motor FIM items, Satisfaction With Life Scale, depressive symptoms, and social participation.

Results: Compared with persons with AIS grade A at discharge, persons with AIS grade B were less likely to require indwelling catheterization and be hospitalized and more likely to perceive better health, report greater functional independence (ie, self-care, sphincter control, mobility, locomotion), and report social participation in the first year postinjury. A greater portion of individuals with AIS grade B at discharge had improved neurologic recovery at 1 year postinjury than those with AIS grade A. Significant AIS group differences in 1-year outcomes related to physical health were maintained after excluding persons who improved to motor incomplete status for only bladder management and change in perceived health status. This recognition of differences between persons with motor complete injuries (AIS grade A vs B) has important ramifications for the field of SCI rehabilitation and research.