[Quality of life in patients with spinal cord injury for at least 10years: Importance of secondary health complications]

Abstract

Objective: To determine the quality of life of spinal cord injuries with more than 10 years of evolution. Assess the prevalence of secondary complications, and their relationship with quality of life and time since the injury.

Patients and method design: Cross-sectional epidemiological study.

Study subjects: Patients with traumatic spinal cord injury, more than 10 years after the injury, and who met the inclusion criteria.

Method: Quality of life was assessed using the International spinal cord injury quality of life basic data set. Variables included: individual factors, neurological deficit, level of injury and secondary complications.

Results: 131 subjects were included in the study with a mean age of 49 years, and a time since the injury of 21 years (11-53 years). The mean number of secondary complications was 2, the most frequent being urological, in 76 subjects (58%). There were no significant differences between the number of complications and the time elapsed since the spinal cord injury. The quality of life was significantly lower in those with a higher number of complications (P=.003). Urological complications (P=.04, 95% CI: -1.02 to 2), musculoskeletal pain (P=.01, 95% CI: 1-6), respiratory complications (P=.05, 95% CI: -3 to 0.1) and neuropathic pain that interfered with basic life activities (P=.01, 95% CI: 1-5) were significantly related to a lower quality of life.

Conclusions: Secondary complications are common after spinal cord injury, although their number does not increase over time after injury. Quality of life is conditioned by the existence of different complications such as the existence of musculoskeletal pain.

Keywords: Aging; Bienestar; Calidad de vida; Dolor; Edad; Health; Lesión medular; Pain; Quality of life; Salud; Spinal cord injuries; Well-being.