Scientists talked about the risks of chronic diseases after spinal cord injury

Patients with spinal cord injury are more likely to experience chronic diseases in the long term, from hypertension and stroke to diabetes and depression. This was reported on November 4 in the journal Medical Xpress.

The study analyzed data from more than 2.7 thousand patients with spinal cord injury (TSCI) from Mass General Brigham and the University of California for the period from 1996 to 2024. The researchers compared the results of the follow-up with a control group without such injuries. The conclusion turned out to be unequivocal: the risk of developing chronic diseases was significantly higher in patients with spinal cord injury, even in cases where the person had no health problems before the injury.

According to the study, people with TSCI are more likely to develop cardiovascular, endocrine, and neuropsychiatric disorders. They have a higher mortality rate, even in the absence of diseases before injury. The authors emphasized that the current diagnostic system underestimates the scale of the problem, since the study did not include patients with existing diagnoses.

Experts believe that TSCI should be considered as a chronic condition requiring comprehensive monitoring, and not as a problem that can be solved only in intensive care and rehabilitation. The scientists called for the development of interdisciplinary protocols to monitor not only the effects of injury, but also concomitant diseases that develop years later.

Medical Xpress pointed out the effectiveness of physical exercise in osteoarthritis. It was noted that each step allows the circulation of nutrients and natural lubricants, supporting joint health.

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