Amyloidosis in paraplegia correlation with decubitus ulcers.

Six patients died with amyloidosis and four patients are living with amyloidosis out of 1,000 with spinal cord injuries who were studied.No correlation was found between Congo red retention and the length of time since injury or the site of the spinal cord lesion. However, it is felt that the longer decubitus ulcer persists, the greater is the probability of amyloidosis. It is believed that decubitus ulcers with secondary osteomyelitis are of primary importance as etiologic factors in amyloidosis associated with spinal cord injuries, and that pyelonephritis plays a very minor secondary role.