Complications after Spinal Cord Injury in a Specialty Hospital in Mexico
complications and spinal cord injuries
Keywords:
Complications, spinal cord injury, pain, pressure ulcers, spasticityAbstract
Background: There is little information related to complications in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Latin America. Those complications are frequent causes of morbidity and mortality, leading to increased hospitalization rates, employability loss, and decreased quality of life. Objective: To describe the main complications that occur in persons with SCI at the National Rehabilitation Institute (INR LGII) from 2015 to 2021.
Materials and methods: An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive clinical study was carried out on patients admitted at a third-level hospital in Mexico City with a SCI from 2015 to 2021. Results: 1284 individuals were studied, 54.51% of them had complications. The most common complications by frequency of occurrence were: pressure ulcers, spasticity, pain, respiratory complications, and infections. Regarding the degree of independence and life satisfaction, individuals with complications had a lower mean score in the following scales: the Spinal Cord Independence Measure version III (SCIM-III) and the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire-9 (LSAT-9). An association was found between having complications with traumatic etiology, a more severe injury, being a female, and an injury at low levels (lumbar and sacral levels). Conclusions: This study is clinically relevant because complications after a SCI are frequent and impact individuals, their families, and the whole society. Moreover, knowledge about these complications may reinforce the security of the patient, diminish costs and design treatment strategies to avoid those complications.
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