Objective:To examine the risk factors for neuropathic pain (NP) after a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:A total of 115 patients with a SCI were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into an NP group of 53 and a non-NP group of 62 according to the occurrence of NP. Gender, age, length of stay, occupation, level of education, cause of injury, spinal fracture, degree of SCI, the injury′s plane and complications at admission (diabetes, hypertension, anemia, venous thrombosis, pressure sores, urinary tract infection or hypoproteinemia) were recorded. T-tests and chi-squared tests were used to compare those factors between the two groups, and multivariate logistic regressions were evaluated to identify the risk factors for NP.Results:Twenty-three of the 53 cases of NP (43%) had developed within 1 month of the SCI. Thirty-seven (75%) experienced pain below the plane of the SCI. The main features reported were squeezing (34%) and numbness (26%). The multivariate logistic regression showed that the occurrence of NP was most strongly related to gender (women being particularly at risk) and venous thrombosis at admission.Conclusions:Women are at particular risk of feeling NP after an SCI, and venous thrombosis is an independent risk factor. NP should be diagnosed and treated quickly to reduce the negative impact on patients′ life quality.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:The medical records of 276 hospitalized SCI patients were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into a DVT group ( n=63) and a no-DVT group ( n=213). Gender, age, blood type, smoking history, surgical history, the time from SCI to admission, cause of SCI, fracture, SCI segments, American Spinal Cord Injury Association grade and complications were compared between the two groups. Binomial logistic regression was used to isolate the risk factors for lower extremity DVT among such patients. Results:Among 84% of the 63 with a lower extremity DVT, it was a calf muscle venous thrombosis. Anemia, hyponatremia and time from SCI to admission (which ranged from 74 to 195 days) were the most serious DVT risk factors.Conclusions:SCI patients are of high risk for DVT, with anemia and hyponatremia being independent risk factors.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for urinary tract infection (UTI) after a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:The medical records of 403 SCI patients were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into UTI group and no-UTI group according to whether they had a UTI at admission. Gender, age, cause of injury, injury level of the spinal cord, voluntary anal contraction, time from injury to admission, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade, axillary temperature at admission, complications at admission (diabetes, hypertension, fracture of the pelvis, pressure sores or anemia), white blood cell count and urinary bacteria were compared between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to highlight the risk factors for a UTI after an SCI.Results:Of the 354 patients included in the final analysis, 62 (17.51%) had a UTI at admission. The regression showed that UTI after an SCI was closely related to an inability to voluntarily contract the anus, anemia, elevated white blood cell count and a high level of bacteria in the urine.Conclusions:Inability to contract the anus, fever, anemia and an elevated white blood cell count are independent indicators of a UTI after an SCI. A temperature ≥37.3°C is a simple indicator of a concentration of bacteria in the urine ≥1266/μL.