Table 2.

Median (range; 95% confidence interval) number of days of delay in presentation, referral, and treatment of patients with malignant spinal cord compression

Cause of delay	All patients	With history of malignancy	With no history of malignancy	P value*
Patient	3 (0-300; 2 to 4)	3 (0-30; 2 to 4)	4 (0-78; 2 to 7)	0.431
General practitioner	3 (0-330; 2 to 4)†	2 (0-210; 1 to 3)†	4 (0-330; 2 to 7)†	0.032
Hospice	3 (0-12; 0 to 8)	3 (0-12; 0 to 8)	0	NA
District general hospital	4 (0-794; 3 to 5)†	3 (0-794; 1 to 5)†	5 (0-70; 3 to 8)†	0.046
Treatment unit	0 (0-114; 0)†	0 (0-114; 0)†	0 (0-15; 0)†	0.20

NA = not applicable.  

^*Mann-Whitney U test.  

^†P<0.0001 Friedman test.