Incidence of secondary complications in spinal cord injury

In order to document the incidence of secondary complications following spinal cord injury (SCI), data were collected from 348 patients with post-acute SCI. More than 95% of these patients reported at least one secondary problem, and more than half (58%) reported three or more. Statistical analyses indicated that, in general, the number and severity of complications varied with the time since injury. Obesity, pain, spasticity, urinary tract infections, and pressure sores were common. Issues of social integration were also identified. The results suggest that improvement is needed in practices related to prevention and follow-up.