Spinal Cord Injury Tied to Chronic Disease Risk
January 12, 2026
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3 min
A multicenter cohort study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that previously healthy patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) carry a 2.5 times higher risk of chronic diseases across multiple organ systems long after the injury. This includes heightened all-cause mortality and increased incidence of conditions such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders. The research highlights the need for TSCI to be viewed as a chronic condition necessitating ongoing multidisciplinary management and surveillance.
1. TSCI increases chronic disease risk by 2.5 times. 2. Higher rates of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes are common. 3. Study emphasizes chronic care and multidisciplinary follow-up. 4. Median comorbidity onset is 8 years post-injury. 5. Limitations include potential misclassification and cohort origin. 6. Insights derived from large health system data. 7. Increased all-cause mortality observed with certain conditions.
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