Frequency of pressure ulcers in patients with spinal cord injury

To determine the frequency of pressure ulcers in patients with spinal cord injury. To compare frequency of pressure ulcers in complete and incomplete spinal cord injury using ASIA impairment scale.Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Departments of Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine Rawalpindi, from Jun 2013 to Jan 2014. Material and Methods: After permission from the hospital ethical committee and informed consent, spinal cord injury (SCI) patients were included from the outdoor and the indoor departments of Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine Rawalpindi from June 2013 to January 2014. Patients were divided in two groups of complete SCI and incomplete SCI on the basis of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale. SPSS version 17 was used for data analysis. Results: Total 62 SCI patients were included. Mean age of patients was 36 +- 0.93 SD. Males were more in number 79% (49). On ASIA scoring 51.6% (32) were in ASIA 'A' followed by 19.4% (12), 17.7% (11) and 11.3% (7) patients in ASIA 'B', 'C' and 'D' respectively. SCI was complete in 51.6% (32) and incomplete in 48.4% (30). PU were present in 32.3% (20) patients. PU were in stage 4 in 30% (6) patients. PU were more frequent in ASIA 'A' injuries followed by 'B', 'C' and 'D' involving 43.8%, 25%,18.2% and 14.3% of patients respectively. Pressure ulcers (PU) were common in complete injuries involving 43.8% (14) than in incomplete injuries 20% (6) (p=0.041). Conclusions: Pressure ulsers were more common complication detected after spinal cord injury with more frequency in complete spinal cord injury. (author)