Predictors of musculoskeletal pain in the upper extremities of individuals with spinal cord injury.

INTRODUCTION: Increased demands on the upper extremities (UE) have been associated with a higher occurrence of musculoskeletal pain in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to characterize SCI subjects with musculoskeletal pain in the UE and to determine which variables could predict musculoskeletal pain in these individuals. SETTING: The study was conducted in SARAH Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals, Brasília, Brazil. METHODS: Five hundred sixty-four electronic medical records were investigated through a retrospective, exploratory and descriptive analysis to identify individuals with UE pain. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate (odds ratios) whether gender, age, the level of injury, severity of injury, time of injury, body mass index, type of mobility and locomotion aid could predict the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. RESULTS: The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the UE was 27.7%. The odds of having musculoskeletal pain were two times higher among woman and tetraplegic patients; those over 41 years of age had twice the frequency of pain than did those <24.7 years; <1 year of injury was a predictor of musculoskeletal pain, compared with the other quartiles (1.1-2.8, 2.9-6.8 and 6.9+ years of injury). There were no differences between the wheelchair and ambulatory individuals. CONCLUSION: Female individuals, those with tetraplegia, aged >40 years and <1 year of injury showed an increased risk of musculoskeletal pain.

Spinal cord injury epidemiological profile in the Sarah Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals-a Brazilian population sample.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological profile of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), who visited the Sarah Network in 2014. SETTING: Brazil, Brasília-Federal District. METHODS: A review of the electronic medical records of persons with SCI, aged over 15 years, was carried out. RESULTS: The medical records of 2076 persons were evaluated: 83% were male, the mean age was 31 years, 40% did not complete elementary school, 67.7% had paraplegia, and 74.4% had complete SCI. The primary etiologies were gunshot wounds (28.4%), motorcycle accidents (24.6%), and motor vehicle accidents (19.1%). In the comparative analysis between genders, differences were observed regarding the level of education and completeness of injury. CONCLUSION: Gunshot wounds were the main cause of SCI in our population, comprising mostly male individuals with thoracic injury, resulting in complete SCI. Data show a high incidence of SCI in young adults owing to violence in Brazil.