['To assess the efficacy of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for healing of pressure ulcers (PrUs) in individuals with spinal-cord injury (SCI).', 'Multicenter, 28-day observational study.', 'Ten Veterans Affairs Medical Center SCI centers.', 'Eighty-six SCI inpatients with Stage III/IV pelvic PrUs.', 'Standard wound care with NPWT versus standard wound care alone (NoNPWT).', 'Change in wound surface area (WSA) using the Verg Videometer Measurement Documentation software.', 'The proportion of patients demonstrating a decrease in WSA (healing subgroup) was not significantly different between the NPWT (n = 33) and NoNPWT (n = 53) groups (67% vs 70%, respectively). In the healing subgroup, there was no significant difference between the NPWT versus NoNPWT groups in WSA decrease (-43 ± 22% vs -50% ± 26%, not statistically significant). Similarly, in the nonhealing subgroup, there was no significant difference between NPWT and NoNPWT groups (31% ± 26% vs 32% ± 34%). In the NPWT group, the nonhealing subgroup (11/33) had significantly lower serum albumin levels than the healing subgroup (22/33) (2.9 ± 0.4 vs 3.3 ± 0.5 mg/dL, P < .05). In the NoNPWT group, there was no significant difference in serum albumin levels between the healing versus nonhealing subgroups (3.2 ± 0.3 vs 3.2 ± 0.3 mg/dL).'] Is poor nutrition a relative contraindication to negative pressure wound therapy for pressure ulcers : preliminary observations in patients with spinal cord injury?