Key result
A 60-minute session of intermittent pneumatic compression therapy significantly increased absolute flow-mediated dilation in the experimental leg from 0.36 mm to 0.47 mm (p=0.011, d=0.66), with no change in the control leg.
Why the study?
Does intermittent pneumatic compression therapy acutely increase leg blood flow-induced shear stress and enhance vascular endothelial function in persons with spinal cord injury?
RCT (n=8)
Open-label
Within-subject randomized
No
Does intermittent pneumatic compression therapy acutely increase leg blood flow-induced shear stress and enhance vascular endothelial function in persons with spinal cord injury?
Standardized Mean Difference: 0.66
Absolute Event Rate: 0.47% vs 0.36%
p-value: p=0.011
A 60-minute session of intermittent pneumatic compression acutely increases leg shear stress and improves vascular endothelial function in the paralyzed legs of individuals with spinal cord injury.
Does not support clinical use of IPC yet; leaves open efficacy in larger spinal cord injury trials.
Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether 60 mins of intermittent pneumatic compression therapy (IPC) could acutely increase leg blood flow-induced shear stress and enhance vascular endothelial function in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI).Design: Pretest with multiple posttests, within subject randomized control design.Setting: University of Southern Mississippi, Spinal Cord Injury Research Program within the School of Kinesiology, recruiting from the local community in Hattiesburg, Jackson, and Gulfport, MS.Participants: Eight adults with SCI (injury level: T3 and below; ASIA class A-C; age: 41±17 yrs).Interventions: A 60-min IPC session was performed in one leg (experimental leg; EXP), with the other leg serving as a control (CON).Outcomes Measures: Posterior-tibial artery shear rate (Doppler-ultrasound) was examined at rest, and at 15 and 45 mins during IPC. Endothelial function was assessed using the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) technique, before and after IPC.Results: Resting FMD (mm) was similar between legs at rest. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (leg x time) revealed that during IPC, peak shear rate increased in the EXP leg (215±137 to 285±164 s−1 at 15 mins; +39±29%, P = 0.03), with no change occurring in the CON. In addition, FMD significantly increased in the EXP leg (Pre IPC: 0.36±0.14 vs. Post IPC: 0.47±0.17 mm; P = 0.011, d = 0.66), with no change occurring in the CON leg.Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggests that IPC therapy may acutely increase leg shear stress within 15 mins, with a resultant moderate-large improvement in vascular endothelial function after 60 mins in people with SCI.
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Credeur et al. (2017) conducted an RCT in Spinal Cord Injury (n=8). Intermittent pneumatic compression therapy (IPC) vs. Control leg (no IPC) was evaluated on Absolute flow-mediated dilation (FMD) (d = 0.66, p=0.011). A 60-minute session of intermittent pneumatic compression therapy significantly increased absolute flow-mediated dilation in the experimental leg from 0.36 mm to 0.47 mm (p=0.011, d=0.66), with no change in the control leg.
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