A LANDMARK study has revealed that traumatic spinal cord injury is linked to significantly higher long-term risks of cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric, and endocrine disorders, even among previously healthy individuals, highlighting an urgent need for lifelong multidisciplinary care.
Long-Term Health Consequences of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury
While the immediate effects of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) are well documented, its chronic impact on overall health has remained less clear. Researchers from Mass General Brigham and the University of California Health System investigated if TSCI substantially elevates the risk of developing a range of major conditions, including hypertension, stroke , and diabetes. The study analysed long-term patient data to determine how TSCI affects multiple organ systems and overall survival, even in people without prior health issues.
Elevated Comorbidities Across Multiple Disease Categories
The retrospective cohort study examined records from 2,749 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury and 8,247 matched uninjured controls, drawn from hospital registries spanning 1996 to 2024. Compared with controls, patients with TSCI had significantly increased risks of hypertension (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3–1.9), hyperlipidaemia (HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.3–1.8), coronary artery disease (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3–2.5), and diabetes (HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.1). Neurological and psychiatric complications were also notable, including seizures (OR 6.4, 95% CI 2.7–14.5), depression (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.6–5.2), and dementia (OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.0–11.6). Increased mortality was associated with several of these comorbidities. Crucially, these heightened risks were seen across all age groups and spinal injury sites, including in patients younger than 45 years.
Clinical Implications and Future Directions
The findings underline that traumatic spinal cord injury has systemic and enduring consequences that extend well beyond motor impairment. For clinicians, proactive screening for cardiovascular, psychiatric, and endocrine disorders should become a standard part of long-term management for people with traumatic spinal cord injury. The researchers advocate for integrated rehabilitation and prevention programmes to address these risks early, alongside further studies to clarify the biological mechanisms driving these chronic outcomes.
Reference
Mashlah A et al. Traumatic spinal cord injury and subsequent risk of developing chronic cardiovascular, neurologic, psychiatric, and endocrine disorders. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(11):e2541157.
