Table 1.

Parameters extracted from the papers

Parameter	Definition
Name and affiliation of the authors
Year of publication and name of journal
Study design	Prospective, retrospective, case report (n = 1 or n = 2), case study (n ≥ 3 individuals)
Follow-up	Months
Quality of paper	Oxford Center for Evidence-based Medicine, Levels of Evidence [86]
Mean age of patients	Years
Male/total ratio	Number of males divided by the total number of patients
Traumatic impact	High: motor vehicle accident; fall >15 feet [3]
	Low: fall from standing or sitting position
Polytrauma patients (%)	Number of polytrauma patients reported divided by the total number of patients reported
Fracture level	Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral
Fracture type	Hyperextension, flexion, compression, rotation
Type of treatment	Surgical: posterior fixation, anterior fixation, combined anterior-posterior fixation, laminectomy
	Conservative: traction, halo, collar, brace, plaster jacket, bed rest
Immobilization type	Traction, halo, collar, brace, plaster jacket, bed rest or none
Immobilization duration	Weeks
Neurological outcome	ASIA impairment scale [4]
Complications	Neurologic deterioration, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, wound infection, cystitis, pneumonia, pseudoarthrosis, decubitus and miscellaneous complications
Delayed diagnosis	Diagnosis established >24 h after trauma
Mortality	Number of deceased patients