Spinal cord injuries should be treated as chronic conditions requiring lifelong monitoring and coordinated care to address long-term health risks, according to a framework published in The Lancet Neurology.
The framework, co-authored by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, recommends ongoing screening and specialty care for patients with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, according to an Oct. 20 news release.
Researchers linked these injuries to increased risks of neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular, endocrine and metabolic conditions that can emerge years or decades after the initial injury. The risks are not limited to patients with severe injuries.
The proposed care model calls for routine screening, long-term primary care follow-up and specialist referrals to identify and manage complications before they worsen. It also recommends beginning monitoring soon after injury rather than waiting for complications to emerge.
Co-developed by members of the Global Coalition for Traumatic Brain Injury as a Notifiable and Chronic Condition, the framework seeks to address gaps in healthcare systems that primarily focus on immediate treatment rather than long-term management.
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