Beyond the Lesion: Long-Term Cardiovascular, Neurologic, Psychiatric, and Endocrine Risks After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Highlight

• Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) was associated with increased long-term incidence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, diabetes, and a range of neurologic and psychiatric diagnoses compared with matched uninjured controls.

• Elevated risk was observed across age groups, including young adults (18–45 years); several postinjury conditions—hypertension, pituitary and adrenal dysfunction, depression, substance misuse, seizures, and dementia—were independently associated with higher all-cause mortality.