Diagnostic criteria of traumatic central cord syndrome. Part 3: Descriptive analyses of neurological and functional outcomes in a prospective cohort of traumatic motor incomplete tetraplegics

Study design: Prospective multicenter cohort study. Objectives: To compare the neurological recovery and functional outcomes between traumatic central cord syndrome (TCCS) patients and motor incomplete tetraplegic patients. Setting: European Multicenter Study of human spinal cord injury. Methods: In 248 traumatic motor incomplete tetraplegics, initial phase (0-15 days) American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment grading, upper and lower extremity motor scores (UEMS and LEMS), upper and lower sensory scores and chronic phase (6 or 12 months) neurological outcomes were analyzed. In addition, chronic phase self-care and indoor mobility Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) items were studied. Tetraplegics were subdivided into three groups: (1) non-TCCS group (UEMS >= LEMS), (2) intermediate-TCCS group (UEMS = (1-9 points) < LEMS) and (3) TCCS group (UEMS = (>= 10 points)