Secondary health conditions and quality of life in persons living with spinal cord injury for at least ten years.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of secondary health conditions among persons with long-term spinal cord injury, and the relationship between these secondary health conditions and quality of life.


METHODS
Multicentre, cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Individuals (n = 282) with traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury for ≥ 10 years, age at injury 18-35 years, current age 28-65 years, and using a wheelchair.


METHODS
Occurrence of 13 secondary health conditions was assessed during a consultation with a rehabilitation physician. Quality of life was measured with the International Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life Basic Data Set.


RESULTS
Median time since injury was 22.0 years. Median number of secondary health conditions was 4. The most prevalent secondary health conditions were: musculoskeletal pain (63.5%), oedema (38.7%), neuropathic pain (34.1%) and urinary tract infections (33.3%). Only oedema showed a significant association with increasing time since injury. Median Total Quality of Life Basic Data Set score was 7. Musculoskeletal pain, pressure ulcers, problematic spasticity and constipation showed an independent association with quality of life in multiple regression analysis, but in general, these associations were weak.


CONCLUSIONS
Secondary health conditions are common among persons with long-term spinal cord injury and the following secondary health conditions were independently associated with lower quality of life: musculoskeletal pain, pressure ulcers, problematic spasticity, and constipation. Minimizing the impact of secondary health conditions should be a priority in the long-term care of persons with spinal cord injury.
Jacinthe J E
JJ
Adriaansen
Laura E M
LE
Ruijs
Casper F
CF
van Koppenhagen
Floris W A
FW
van Asbeck
Govert J
GJ
Snoek
Dirk
D
van Kuppevelt
Johanna M A
JM
Visser-Meily
De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Centre of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, PO Box 85238, NL-3508 AE Utrecht, The Netherlands. E-mail address: m.post@dehoogstraat.nl.
Marcel W M
MW
Post
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004487:Edema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D009437:Neuralgia; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult