CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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Multicenter Study
Effect of older age on treatment decisions and outcomes among patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.
Older people are at increased risk of traumatic spinal cord injury from falls. We evaluated the impact of older age (≥ 70 yr) on treatment decisions and outcomes. ⋯ We found chronological age to be a factor influencing treatment decisions but not at the 70-year age threshold that we had hypothesized. Older patients waited longer for surgery and had a substantially higher in-hospital mortality despite having less severe injuries than younger patients. Further research into the link between treatment delays and outcomes among older patients could inform surgical guideline development.