The impact of body mass index on one-year mortality after spinal cord injury

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2021 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2019.1688021 · Published: July 1, 2021

Simple Explanation

This study looks at the link between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of death within the first year after a spinal cord injury (SCI). It focuses on people who survived the initial 90 days after their injury. Researchers analyzed data from 6640 individuals with SCI, categorizing them into underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese groups based on their BMI at the start of rehabilitation. The study found that obese individuals with SCI had a higher risk of death within the first year compared to those with a normal weight. The most common causes of death for obese participants were infections and respiratory diseases.

Study Duration

October 2006 and March 2017

Participants

6640 participants with spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Cohort study

Key Findings

1
Obese individuals with SCI had a 51% higher mortality risk within the first year compared to those with normal weight, after adjusting for demographic and injury-related factors.
2
The most frequent causes of death for people with obesity were infective and parasitic diseases and respiratory diseases.
3
A higher risk of mortality was observed among people who were of old ages, male, single, injured by falls and medical/surgical complications, and having severe injuries.

Research Summary

This study investigated the impact of BMI on one-year mortality among individuals who survived the first 90 days after SCI. The study found that obese individuals had a significantly higher mortality risk compared to those with normal weight, even after adjusting for demographic and injury-related factors. The leading causes of death among obese individuals were infective and parasitic diseases and respiratory diseases, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in this population.

Practical Implications

Targeted Interventions

Health professionals should focus on weight management for obese individuals in acute care settings to prevent early deaths after SCI.

Further Research

Future studies should investigate the factors contributing to the higher mortality rate in obese individuals with SCI, including preexisting conditions and comorbidities.

Long-Term Effects

Additional research is needed to examine the association between BMI and long-term mortality in the SCI population, considering weight history and other potential risk factors.

Study Limitations

1
The study's inclusion/exclusion criteria may limit the applicability of findings to the first 90 days post-injury.
2
The SCIMS Database participants may not be fully representative of the overall SCI population.
3
The study could not assess other important risk factors for mortality, such as smoking and preexisting diseases.

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