Physical abilities, quality of life, incidences of complications and falls in patients with chronic spinal cord injury after discharge

Abstract

Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) are likely to loss ability to control functions of body systems that lead the patients unable to control their movements. After discharge, unsuitable environmental conditions may significantly affect their ability and increase risks of complications and falls of the patients. This study evaluated the changes of physical abilities and quality of life (QOL), and incidences of complications and falls of 10 patients with chronic complete SCI at 6 months after discharge. Physical abilities and QOL of the patients were measured by using the Spinal cord independence measure (SCIM) and the WHOQOL-BREF-THAI consecutively. Incidence of complications and falls were monthly assessed by using a questionnaire. An average age and post-injury time of the patients were 42.9 ± 14.0 years and 5.6 ± 4.8 years respectively. After 6 months, physical abilities and QOL of the patients were reduced (median physical ability scores reduced from 55 to 54 scores, and median QOL decreased from 93 to 87 scores). All of them reported the incidences of medical complications from 1 – 2 types where 4 of them required rehospitalization for 3 – 30 days. Five patients experienced 1 – 5 occasions of falls. The findings of this study indicated that subjects with chronic SCI showed minimal changes of their physical ability, and faced with a high risk of complications and falls that might affect their ability and QOL. Further study regarding causes and strategies of prevention and health promotion is important for minimizing the consequences of SCI.