Clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of persons with traumatic paraplegia living in São Paulo, Brazil

• Author(s): Blanes,Leila ; Lourenço,Lana ; Carmagnani,Maria Isabel Sampaio ; Ferreira,Lydia Masako
• Date: 2009
• Origin: Oasisbr
• Subject(s): paraplegia; spinal cord; caractheristics
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English

Description

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical profile of individuals with paraplegia living in São Paulo, Brazil. METHOD: The sample consisted of 60 outpatients with traumatic paraplegia from whom clinical and demographic data were obtained. RESULTS: The patients were predominately men (86.7%), single (61.7%), with mean age of 32.9 (SD=9.47) years, and complete or incomplete primary education (63.3%). Although 41.7% were born in different states, all patients were current residents of São Paulo, Brazil. The most frequent cause of paraplegia was firearm injury (63.3%) followed by car accident (20%). The most common complications observed in the patients were urinary (88.3%) and anal (45%) incontinence, muscle spasm (65%), and pressure ulcers (26.7%). CONCLUSION: The data revealed that the sample consisted predominantly of young males with low education level, showing complications due to SCI, and who were victims of urban violence.