The purpose of this study was to design and test a model that could id
entify and define which cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) present on
peripheral blood leukocytes were depressed in spinal cord injury (SCI)
patients, CAMs on peripheral blood cells of SCI patients with pressur
e ulcers were measured by flow cytometry and compared with those of ag
e-matched healthy controls and SCI patients on physical rehabilitation
therapy (PRT) protocols without pressure ulcers, The latter patients
had normal levels (97%) of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (L
FA-1; CD 11a/CD18)and a low incidence of infection, By contrast, prior
to undergoing rehabilitation therapy, SCI patients with pressure ulce
rs had significantly diminished LFA-1 levels (62%), Very late antigen
4 (VLA-4; alpha(4) beta(1); 34%) levels (i,e., alpha(4) = 34% and beta
(1) = 44%) were approximately half those in controls (72%), Expression
of alpha(2) and alpha(3) was also diminished in patients, Patients re
ceiving PRT after debridement developed increased levels of LFA-1 and
VLA-4 by the 6th week but alpha(2) and alpha(3) remained relatively lo
w, These results combined with data from previous studies suggest that
patients not receiving PRT developed severe pressure ulcers which req
uired debridement surgery and healed more slowly due, in part, to redu
ced levels of CAMs.