Skin disorders in patients with hemiplegia and papaplegia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of skin disorders in patients with hemiplegia and paraplegia. Several skin disorders have been reported previously in these patients.

METHODS: Seventy inpatients with hemiplegia, 30 with paraplegia, and 90 individuals as a control group were included in the study.

RESULTS: The most common skin disorder in the patient group was tinea pedis, which was observed in 18 of the 100 patients. The other common dermatological disorders in the patient group were onychomycosis of the toenails (n = 14), xerosis of the extremities (n = 13) and reduction in hair on the lower extremities (n = 12). The incidence of tinea pedis (p = 0.004), onychomycosis of the toenails (p = 0.010), xerosis of the extremities (p = 0.017) and reduction in hair on the lower extremities (p = 0.027) in the patient group were significantly more common than in the control group. There was no significant correlation between tinea pedis, onychomycosis of the toenails, xerosis of the extremities and reduction in hair on the lower extremities and the duration of hemiplegia and paraplegia.

CONCLUSION: Dermatological disorders are observed more commonly in hemiplegic and paraplegic patients than in controls, therefore routine dermatological examination should be performed in these patients.