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

• Autor(a) principal: Blanes, Leila [UNIFESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2009
• Outros Autores: Lourenço, Lara Cristina D'Avila [UNIFESP], Carmagnani, Maria Isabel Sampaio [UNIFESP], Ferreira, Lydia Masako [UNIFESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNIFESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2009000300003; http://repositorio.unifesp.br/handle/11600/5034
• topic: paraplegia; spinal cord; caractheristics; paraplegia; lesão medular; características

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.