Smoking, spasticity and pressure sores in spinal cord injured patients

The most important factors for the formation of pressure sores are sufficient pressure for an adequate period of time. Many investigators have shown that psycho-social factors are also associated with pressure sores. We investigated other factors that may relate to higher incidence and more extensive pressure sores. Seventeen paraplegics and 21 quadriplegics were clinically examined regarding the degree of spasticity and the size of their pressure sores were measured. They were interviewed for cigarette smoking habit, the presence of help in skin care and their employment or educational activities. Body weight was obtained and the types of wheelchair cushion used were inspected. The result shows that patients with more pack-years of smoking habit had higher incidence and more extensive pressure sores. Other variables such as level of spinal cord injury, completeness of neurological lesion, the availability of help in skin care, the presence of employment or educational activities, spasticity, and body weight were not associated with pressure sores. The types of wheelchair cushion used by our patients did not correlate to the incidence of pressure sores. In addition, cigarette smoking did not decrease spasticity in our patients.