title: Long-term survival of veterans with traumatic spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the long-term survival of veterans with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Survival in a retrospective inception cohort of veterans suffering service-connected traumatic SCI is compared with survival among veterans disabled by other conditions, survival among nondisabled veterans, and a population-based life table.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were identified from a national census of veterans with service-connected disabilities, using a selection algorithm based on disability codes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort of 5545 male veterans with traumatic SCI, surviving at least 3 months after injury, is compared with a stratified random sample of 7077 disabled veterans without SCI, a stratified random sample of 6967 nondisabled veterans, and a life table formed from similarly aged American males.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survival curves, extending from 3 months to 40 years after injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean life expectancy of veterans suffering traumatic SCI and surviving at least 3 months is an additional 39 years after injury, 85% that of similarly aged American males. Although survival with traumatic SCI was comparable to that of the disabled control subjects for approximately 20 years after onset, a clear deficit occurred beyond this point. Older age at injury is a stronger predictor of poorer long-term survival than is complete quadriplegia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients who survive the acute phase of their traumatic SCI, long-term survival is relatively good. Health care planners, providers, and communities should anticipate an increasing number of persons aging with SCI.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Samsa
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Feussner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000401:mortality*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans