Factors associated with reduced life expectancy in patients aged 65 and older with traumatic spinal cord injury.

The mean age at injury was 73 ± 5.7 years, and 71.5% were men.

Falls were the main cause of injury (74.3%), and subaxial cervical lesions were the most frequent (65.6%).

Overall mortality was 51.5%, with a mean estimated survival of 7.66 years.

In the Cox model, older age at injury (HR = 1.054; P < 0.001), anticoagulant therapy (HR = 1.811; P = 0.002), and COPD (HR = 2.138; P = 0.015) independently increased mortality risk, whereas higher SCIM scores at discharge (HR = 0.975; P < 0.001) were associated with improved survival.