Although the study indicates a total of 23,920 admissions per year to all hospitals, the number of admissions to the study facility is not given; however, 1997 patients were admitted to the referral center's ICU.
Furthermore, repeated admission of the study participants represents a mechanism for perpetuation of these lineages.
Male gender was predominant (77.3%), as was the total ICU admission of the study period (73.5%).
The reason for ICU admission of the study group was more often surgically related compared to the reference population (13/23 [57 %] vs. 267/899 [30%%], P = .01).01
The time of admission to the study and the onset of therapy are of major relevance for outcome, however, as shown by Rivers and colleagues in the early goal-directed therapy study in severe sepsis and septic shock patients [ 16].
There are approximately 115 admissions per month to this 16 bed ICU for a total of 575 admissions for the study period.
Subjects who met criteria were scheduled for a scan session within one week of admission to the study.
Patients were seen the day of admission to the study (day 1) and 14 days later (day 15).
Based on neurological examination according to the American Spinal Injury Association guidelines, the subject had an AIS grade D impairment scale at the time of admission to the study.
UCAS data on admissions were coded as one for admission to the study of medicine and zero otherwise.
