For study of the prevalence and characteristics of anemia in chronic spinal cord injury, 254 patients were investigated in a retrospective way. Also, to evaluate the relationship of erythropoietin synthesis and hemodynamic changes to anemia, we randomly selected 32 cases of 254, and analyzed the erythropoietin level and the ferrokinetics. The patients were devided into four groups:80 cases in group 1(cervical spinal cord injury), 42 cases in group 2(1st-6th thoracic spinal cord injury), 88 cases in group 3(7th-12th thoracic spinal cord injury), and 44 cases in group 4(lumbar spinal cord injury).

The results were as follows:

1) The prevalence rates of anemia and hypoprotinemia in chronic spinal cord injured patients were high(56.3% and 42%) retrospectively. And its related complications as bed sore, lower urinary tract infection, and renal disease were frequent.

2) As the factors that were related to the prevalence of anemia, hypoalbuminemia was strongly associated with anemia, but other factors(age, duration after injury, and level of injury) showed no correlation.

3) Among the complications, bed sore and renal disease were highly correlated with the prevalence of anemia, but lower urinary tract infection was not.

4) The level of serum erythropoietin in spinal cord injured patients was decreased to lower normal range, and these results were proportioned to the level of injury, i.e. when the level is higher, serum erythropoietin is lower.

5) The anemia in chronic spinal cord injury is thought to be a consequence of chronic disease as its significant decrement in serum transferrin and lower normal range of serum ferritin.

From the above results, it is concluded that the treatment of anemia in chronic spinal cord injured patients should include correction of hypoalbuminemia, nutritional support and management of its secondary complication.