Eija Ahoniemi1, Timo Pohjolainen, Hannu Kautiainen. 1. Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, Finnish Association of People with Mobility Disabilities, Nordenskiöldinkatu 18 B, FI-00251 Helsinki, Finland. eija.ahoniemi@invalidiliitto.fi
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Mortality, cause of death and risk indicators for death among patients with traumatic spinal cord injury were investigated over a 30-year period. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study with retrospective data. SUBJECTS: All patients (n = 1647) aged 16 years and over who had sustained traumatic spinal cord injury during the period 1976-2005, who were admitted to Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, Helsinki, Finland, participated in the study. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were collected from the registers of Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre. Cause-specific mortality was assessed using Statistics Finland's official cause-of-death register. RESULTS: During the observation period (1976-2007) 419 patients died. The main causes of death were respiratory disease (28%), cardiovascular disease (21%), suicide (10%) and external causes (9.5%). The mean age at death was 55.5 years for men and 58.2 years for women. Ten-year survival was 97.9%. Mortality was significantly affected by age at onset of injury, neurological level and extent of lesion. Survival of traumatic spinal cord injury patients was approximately 50% that of the general population, and survival of the general population was 80% during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: These results support the need for improvements in long-term rehabilitative care and regular follow-up of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury. The importance of psychosocial follow-up services must be emphasized.
OBJECTIVE: Mortality, cause of death and risk indicators for death among patients with traumatic spinal cord injury were investigated over a 30-year period. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study with retrospective data. SUBJECTS: All patients (n = 1647) aged 16 years and over who had sustained traumatic spinal cord injury during the period 1976-2005, who were admitted to Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, Helsinki, Finland, participated in the study. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were collected from the registers of Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre. Cause-specific mortality was assessed using Statistics Finland's official cause-of-death register. RESULTS: During the observation period (1976-2007) 419 patients died. The main causes of death were respiratory disease (28%), cardiovascular disease (21%), suicide (10%) and external causes (9.5%). The mean age at death was 55.5 years for men and 58.2 years for women. Ten-year survival was 97.9%. Mortality was significantly affected by age at onset of injury, neurological level and extent of lesion. Survival of traumatic spinal cord injurypatients was approximately 50% that of the general population, and survival of the general population was 80% during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: These results support the need for improvements in long-term rehabilitative care and regular follow-up of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury. The importance of psychosocial follow-up services must be emphasized.
Authors: Jonviea D Chamberlain; Hans Peter Gmünder; Kerstin Hug; Xavier Jordan; André Moser; Martin Schubert; Martin W G Brinkhof Journal: Spinal Cord Date: 2018-06-12 Impact factor: 2.772
Authors: Roland Thietje; Birgitt Kowald; Ralf Böthig; Arndt P Schulz; Markus Northmann; Yannick Rau; Sven Hirschfeld Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-12-22 Impact factor: 4.241
Authors: Anja Maria Raab; Gabi Mueller; Simone Elsig; Simon C Gandevia; Marcel Zwahlen; Maria T E Hopman; Roger Hilfiker Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-12-31 Impact factor: 4.241