A multicenter investigation of age-related differences in lengths of stay, hospitalization charges, and outcomes for a matched tetraplegia sample.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of age at injury on lengths of stay, treatment costs, and outcomes using a matched sample of tetraplegic spinal cord injury (SCI) patients.

DESIGN: Differences were examined by separating the sample into three age categories (18 to 34, 35 to 64, and 65+ years old) matched for American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Motor Impairment Classification and level of neurologic preservation bilaterally. Analysis of variance was used to examine age group differences for lengths of stay, medical expenses, and functional outcome.

SETTING: Sixteen medical centers in the federally sponsored Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Project.

PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred seventy-five adult patients with tetraplegic SCI admitted between 1988 and 1996 were assessed at acute care admission, inpatient rehabilitation admission, and inpatient rehabilitation discharge.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ASIA Motor Index and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) admission, discharge, and efficiency scores; acute care and rehabilitation lengths of stay and medical care charges; and discharge disposition.

RESULTS: Analyses revealed equivalent lengths of stay and charges for all age groups. There were no age-related differences in ASIA and FIM Motor scores at acute care and inpatient rehabilitation admission. Younger patients' scores on the FIM Motor subscale improved significantly more than did middle and older patients'. The two younger groups of patients had a more significant improvement than did older patients, as indicated by ASIA Motor Index scores. When taking lengths of stay into account, the FIM motor scores of the youngest group of patients improved more quickly than those of the two older groups. Furthermore, the younger and middle age groups demonstrated greater treatment efficiency than the older patient group based on ASIA Motor Index score ratios. Younger patients were least likely to be discharged to institutional settings.

CONCLUSIONS: Along with neurologic and functional status, age should be considered when formulating treatment plans and prognostic statements. For older patients, alternative rehabilitation settings with lower-intensity treatment and lower charges may prove to be a more efficacious use of resources.