Analysis of the influencing factors related to spasticity in patients with spinal cord injuries: a retrospective study

STUDY DESIGN: a retrospective study OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the related influencing factors of spasticity in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Individuals diagnosed with SCI between January 2019 and December 2021 in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University. METHODS: Individuals diagnosed with SCI between January 2019 and December 2021 in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, were screened for spasticity by using the modified Ashworth spasm scale. A total of 183 individuals diagnosed with SCI were finally included in the study. We collected the individuals’ basic information, including gender, age, disease course, injury segment, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade, Cause of injury. Univariate and dichotomous logistic regression analysis analyses were used to examine the influencing factors of spasticity in the individuals with SCI. RESULTS: The chi-squared test revealed that the course of the disease ( p= 0.004), the injured segment ( p< 0.001) and the pressure ulcers of the individuals ( p= 0.002) with SCI had statistical significance. A dichotomous logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the influencing factors of spasticity. the course of the disease, the injured segment and the pressure ulcers of the individuals with SCI were independent influencing factors of spasticity in individuals with SCI, among which the prolongation of the course of the disease (when the course of disease was 3 to 6 months and 6 months or more, the incidence of spasticity was 2.441 times (95% CI, 0.968~6.157) and 5.090 times (95% CI, 1.883~13.76), compared with a disease course of less than 3 months) and the presence of pressure ulcers were independent risk factors (the incidence of spasticity in patients with pressure ulcers was 2.481 times (95% CI, 0.961~6.406) higher than that without pressure ulcers). the low injury segment was a protective factor (the incidence of spasticity in thoracic and lumbar spinal cord injuries was 0.363 times (95% CI, 0.154~0.855) and 0.034 times (95% CI, 0.004~0.268) higher than that in cervical spinal cord injuries). CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that there was no significant correlation between spasticity after SCI and gender, ASIA grade, cause of injury and other factors. However, the prolongation of the course of the disease and the presence of Pressure ulcers were independent risk factors, and the low injury segment was a protective factor.