Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Nov;37(6):662-9.
doi: 10.1179/2045772313Y.0000000144. Epub 2013 Nov 26.

Associations with chest illness and mortality in chronic spinal cord injury

Valery A Danilack, Kelly L Stolzmann, David R Gagnon, Robert Brown, Carlos G Tun, Leslie R Morse, Eric Garshick

Associations with chest illness and mortality in chronic spinal cord injury

Valery A Danilack et al. J Spinal Cord Med. 2014 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: Identify factors associated with chest illness and describe the relationship between chest illness and mortality in chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Cross-sectional survey assessing chest illness and a prospective assessment of mortality.

Methods: Between 1994 and 2005, 430 persons with chronic SCI (mean ± SD), 52.0 ± 14.9 years old, and ≥4 years post SCI (20.5 ± 12.5 years) underwent spirometry, completed a health questionnaire, and reported any chest illness resulting in time off work, indoors, or in bed in the preceding 3 years. Deaths through 2007 were identified. Outcome measures Logistic regression assessing relationships with chest illness at baseline and Cox regression assessing the relationship between chest illness and mortality.

Results: Chest illness was reported by 139 persons (32.3%). Personal characteristics associated with chest illness were current smoking (odds ratio =2.15; 95% confidence interval =1.25-3.70 per each pack per day increase), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (3.52; 1.79-6.92), and heart disease (2.18; 1.14-4.16). Adjusting for age, subjects reporting previous chest illness had a non-significantly increased hazard ratio (HR) for mortality (1.30; 0.88-1.91). In a multivariable model, independent predictors of mortality were greater age, SCI level and completeness of injury, diabetes, a lower %-predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second, heart disease, and smoking history. Adjusting for these covariates, the effect of a previous chest illness on mortality was attenuated (HR = 1.15; 0.77-1.73).

Conclusion: In chronic SCI, chest illness in the preceding 3 years was not an independent risk factor for mortality and was not associated with level and completeness of SCI, but was associated with current smoking, physician-diagnosed COPD, and heart disease history.

Keywords: Mortality; Respiratory tract infections; Spinal cord injuries.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Cardenas DD, Hoffman JM, Kirshblum S, McKinley W. Etiology and incidence of rehospitalization after traumatic spinal cord injury: a multicenter analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85(11):1757–63. - PubMed
    1. Dryden DM, Saunders LD, Rowe BH, May LA, Yiannakoulias N, Svenson LW, et al. . Utilization of health services following spinal cord injury: a 6-year follow-up study. Spinal Cord 2004;42(9):513–25. - PubMed
    1. DeVivo MJ, Stover SL. Long term survival and causes of death. In: Stover SL, DeLisa JAWG, (eds.) Spinal cord injury. Clinical outcomes from the model systems. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers Inc, 1995. p. 289–316.
    1. DeVivo MJ, Krause JS, Lammertse DP. Recent trends in mortality and causes of death among persons with spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1999;80(11):1411–9. - PubMed
    1. Mesard L, Carmody A, Mannarino E, Ruge D. Survival after spinal cord trauma. Arch Neurol 1978;35(2):78–83. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources