Key result
Elite hand-cycling linked to ~21% lower aortic PWV vs non-athletes with spinal cord injury.
Why the study?
Aortic pulse wave velocity is a prognostic measure of cardiovascular risk, but its relationship to exercise in individuals with spinal cord injury was unclear.
Does chronic exercise training improve central arterial stiffness in individuals with spinal cord injury?
Cross-Sectional (n=20)
Does chronic exercise training improve central arterial stiffness in individuals with spinal cord injury?
Absolute Event Rate: 6.9% vs 8.7%
p-value: p=0.044
Elite athletes with spinal cord injury have lower central arterial stiffness compared to non-athletes, suggesting chronic exercise may lower cardiovascular risk in this population.
May support exercise benefits on arterial stiffness in SCI; leaves open whether training reduces cardiovascular risk.
OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), the gold-standard assessment of central arterial stiffness, has prognostic value for cardiovascular disease risk in able-bodied individuals. The aim of this study was to compare aortic PWV in athletes and non-athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional comparison. METHODS: Aortic PWV was assessed in 20 individuals with motor-complete, chronic SCI (C2-T5; 18 ± 8 years post-injury) using applanation tonometry at the carotid and femoral arterial sites. Ten elite hand-cyclists were matched for sex to 10 non-athletes; age and time since injury were comparable between the groups. Heart rate and discrete brachial blood pressure measurements were collected throughout testing. OUTCOME MEASURES: Aortic PWV, blood pressure, heart rate. RESULTS: Aortic PWV was significantly lower in athletes vs. non-athletes (6.9 ± 1.0 vs. 8.7 ± 2.5 m/second, P = 0.044). There were no significant between-group differences in resting supine mean arterial blood pressure (91 ± 19 vs. 81 ± 10 mmHg) and heart rate (60 ± 10 vs. 58 ± 6 b.p.m.). CONCLUSION: Athletes with SCI exhibited improved central arterial stiffness compared to non-athletes, which is in agreement with the previous able-bodied literature. This finding implies that chronic exercise training may improve arterial health and potentially lower cardiovascular disease risk in the SCI population.
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Hubli et al. (2014) conducted a cross-sectional in Spinal cord injury (n=20). Elite hand-cycling (athletic status) vs. Non-athletes was evaluated on Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) (p=0.044). Elite hand-cyclists with spinal cord injury had significantly lower aortic pulse wave velocity compared to non-athletes (6.9 vs. 8.7 m/second, P = 0.044).
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