Model System:

SCI

Reference Type:

JA

Accession No.:

J44372.

Journal:


NeuroRehabilitation

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

, 12, 3, 177-185

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study examines the relationship between age, functional outcome, hospital length of stay (LOS), and hospital charges after spinal cord injury (SCI). Two thousand ninety-nine consecutive patients with tetraplegia were assessed in acute care and inpatient rehabilitation. Age differences were examined by separating the sample into 11 age categories and conducting analysis on treatment, medical expense, and outcome measures, which included the American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) motor index score and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Analyses revealed that patients aged 35-55 showed the greatest improvement and patients aged 70 and older showed the least improvement. Patients aged 18-34 had longer inpatient rehabilitation stays than patients aged 35-64 and incurred higher rehabilitation medical expenses than patients aged 65 and older. Patients younger than 30 were more likely to be discharged to non-institutional settings. Acute care outcome and charges and functional independence were unrelated to age.

Author(s):


Cifu, David X., Seel, Ronald T., Kreutzer, Jeffrey S., Marwitz, Jennifer, McKinley, William O., Wisor, Douglas

Participating Centers: