Predictors of pressure ulcer incidence following traumatic spinal cord injury: a secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal study

Study design: Secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study. Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the medical and demographic factors associated with the development of pressure ulcers during acute-care hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation following acute spinal cord injury. Setting: The study was carried out at acute hospitalization, inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient rehabilitation sites at a university medical center in the United States. Methods: Adults with acute traumatic spinal cord injury ( n =104) were recruited within 24–72 h of admission to the hospital. Pressure ulcer incidence was recorded. Results: Thirty-nine participants out of 104 (37.5%) developed at least one pressure ulcer during acute-care hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation. Univariate logistic regression analyses revealed significant association of pressure ulcer incidence for those with pneumonia and mechanical ventilation ( P =0.01) and higher injury severity (ASIA A) ( P =0.01). Multiple logistic regression showed that the odds of formation of a first pressure ulcer in participants with ASIA A was 4.5 times greater than that for participants with ASIA B, CI (1–20.65), P =0.05, and 4.6 times greater than that for participants with ASIA C, CI (1.3–16.63), P =0.01. Conclusion: Among individuals with acute traumatic SCI, those with high-injury severity were at an increased risk to develop pressure ulcers. Pneumonia was noted to be associated with the formation of pressure ulcers.