300 Section - Changes in Functional Independence at Admission and Discharge According to Neurological Impairment Level in a Rehabilitation Hospital

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

YJ

Yun Hwa Jung, PhD

Research Professor
National Traffic Injury Rehabilitation Research Institute
Yangpyeong, Kyonggi-do, Republic of Korea

Co-Author/Coautor(s)

WJ

Wonjae Jo, Dr.

Professor
National Traffic Injury Rehabilitation Research Institute
Yangpyeong, Kyonggi-do, Republic of Korea
DK

Da-eun Kim, MS

Researcher
National Traffic Injury Rehabilitation Research Institute
Yangpyeong, Kyonggi-do, Republic of Korea
MJ

Minhee Jang, MS

Researcher
National Traffic Injury Rehabilitation Research Institute
Yangpyeong, Kyonggi-do, Republic of Korea

Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

JL

Ja-ho Leigh, PhD

Professor
National Traffic Injury Rehabilitation Research Institute
Yangpyeong, Kyonggi-do, Republic of Korea

Objectives :

Worldwide, over 15 million people live with spinal cord injury (SCI). Understanding impairment-specific functional changes is essential for rehabilitation. This study aimed to evaluate changes in functional independence from admission to discharge according to neurological impairment level in patients with SCI.

Design:

This study evaluated changes in functional independence from admission to discharge according to neurological impairment level in patients with SCI aged ≥ 19 years admitted to Korea National Traffic Rehabilitation Hospital (NTRH). between February 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, and subsequently discharged. Neurological impairment was classified using the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (ASIA; A–E). Functional independence was measured using the Korean version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (K-SCIM-III), consisting of 19 items scored from 0 (complete dependence) to 100 (complete independence) across three subscales: self-care (6 items), respiration/sphincter control (4), and mobility/transfer (9). Descriptive analyses were performed using SAS.

Results:

Ten patients with SCI were enrolled. Their mean length of stay was 10.6 ± 5.6 months; all were men with a mean age of 59.8 ± 9.3 years. ASIA grades remained unchanged from admission to discharge (A–C: n=1 each; D: n=7). The mean K-SCIM-III total score improved from admission to discharge, with greater gains from ASIA A to D (A: 45.0→50.0 [+5.0 points]; B: 45.0→52.0 [+7.0]; C: 30.0→47.0 [+17.0]; D: 46.4→75.0 [+28.6]). The K-SCIM-III subscales showing the greatest improvement were respiration/sphincter control in ASIA A (+5 points), self-care and respiration/sphincter control in ASIA B (each +3), and mobility/transfer in ASIA C and D (+10 and +15, respectively).

Conclusion:

Functional independence improved from admission to discharge across ASIA grades A to D, with greater gains in less severe neurological impairment. These findings suggest that neurological severity influences rehabilitation and highlight the need to identify factors driving differential recovery.