Abstract
With advances in acute care for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), chronic conditions are becoming a central focus.1â€"3 More specifically, impairments in respiratory function are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among individuals with SCI,4 and have significant economic burden. Paresis or paralysis of the respiratory muscles can lead to respiratory insufficiency, which has a major impact on cough effectiveness and susceptibility to infection.5â€"7 Prior studies have typically focused on breathing mechanics and pneumonia in the acute stages of SCI, but there is a dearth of evidence regarding secondary chronic conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among SCI populations. In the general population, risk factors for the development of asthma and COPD include genetic, sociodemographic, and environmental components.8,9 In addition, traffic pollution and occupational exposures, and indoor exposure to pollutants such as mold, increase susceptibility to both diseases. However, that SCI may be an independent risk factor for COPD and asthma (or vice versa) has not been previously examined. It thus remains unknown whether there is a higher prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases (after adjustment for potential confounders) in individuals with SCI. The current study addresses this knowledge gap by utilizing the national Canadian Community Health Survey, which comprises comprehensive, up-to-date, cross-sectional data. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of chronic respiratory outcomes in the SCI population, to compare their odds with a non-SCI population, and to investigate this relationship after controlling for confounders.,Peer reviewed,Published. Received September 18, 2014; Accepted December 09, 2014.