Long-Term Survival of Persons Ventilator Dependent After Spinal Cord Injury

J Spinal Cord Med, 2006 · DOI: · Published: January 1, 2006

Spinal Cord Injury Pulmonology Research Methodology & Design

Simple Explanation

This study examines factors affecting long-term survival for individuals with spinal cord injuries who depend on ventilators after leaving inpatient rehabilitation. It uses data from spinal cord injury systems across the United States to identify key factors influencing mortality and life expectancy in this population. The research focuses on individuals who survived at least one year post-injury and analyzes data spanning from 1973 to 2003. Key factors identified include age, time since injury, the level of neurological damage, and the completeness of the injury. The study reveals that while there was significant improvement in survival rates in the initial years after injury, this trend did not continue in subsequent years. Pneumonia and other respiratory conditions remain the primary causes of death, accounting for 31% of known fatalities.

Study Duration

1973 through 2003

Participants

319 individuals

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Age, time since injury, neurologic level, and completeness of injury are key factors related to long-term survival in ventilator-dependent SCI patients.
2
Life expectancies for ventilator-dependent SCI patients were found to be modestly lower than previous estimates.
3
Pneumonia and other respiratory conditions remain the leading cause of death, accounting for 31% of deaths of known causes.

Research Summary

This study investigates the long-term survival of ventilator-dependent individuals with spinal cord injuries using data from multiple SCI centers across the US. The primary objective was to identify and quantify factors affecting mortality and life expectancy in this specific population. The analysis, based on data from 1973 to 2003, revealed that age, time since injury, neurologic level, and degree of completeness of injury are significant predictors of survival. The study also updated previous estimates of life expectancy, finding them to be modestly lower. A notable finding was that improvements in survival rates were mainly concentrated in the initial years post-injury, with no significant trend observed in subsequent years. Pneumonia and other respiratory conditions continue to be the leading causes of death among this population.

Practical Implications

Accurate Prognosis

Clinicians can use the identified prognostic factors to provide more accurate survival estimates for ventilator-dependent SCI patients.

Targeted Interventions

Healthcare providers should focus on preventing and managing respiratory complications, given that pneumonia and other respiratory conditions are leading causes of death.

Resource Allocation

Payers and policymakers can use the life expectancy data to inform resource allocation and healthcare planning for this population.

Study Limitations

1
The NSCISC database only captures data from approximately 13% of persons who have sustained an SCI in the United States
2
The database does not capture other data that may be of prognostic importance, such as amount of ventilator use, dysphagia, aspiration, smoking history, severity of concomitant injuries such as traumatic brain injury, and chest trauma.
3
Causes of death were missing for 31% of the deaths where identifying information was unknown to the NSCISC staff

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury