title: Muscle and bone in paraplegic patients, and the effect of functional electrical stimulation.
abstract: 1. Four paraplegic men volunteered for an exercise programme in which their paralysed quadriceps muscles were stimulated by means of computer-regulated electrical impulses applied through external electrodes. The first exercise regimen consisted of leg raising against a graded load, and during the second regimen exercise took the form of cycling on a modified bicycle ergometer. Each subject exercised five times weekly for 10 weeks during the first regimen and 32 weeks during the second regimen. 2. Whole-body protein turnover determined by L-[1-13C]leucine during feeding remained constant during both exercise regimens, when expressed either in terms of body weight or fat-free mass derived from measurements of total body potassium. 3. Quadriceps muscle protein synthetic rate increased during the study, from 0.0712 to 0.0985%/h (P less than 0.05), as did quadriceps muscle area assessed by computed tomography. 4. Bone mineral content for lumbar vertebrae was normal in all four patients, but for the femoral mid-shaft bone mineral content averaged only 66% of normal for three of the patients. Trabecular bone density in the distal tibia ranged from normal to 2% of normal for the men with the shortest and longest periods of disability, respectively. No changes in bone mineral content or bone density occurred during the exercise period.
authors.affiliation: Radioisotopes Division, MRC Clinical Research Centre, Harrow, Middlesex, U.K.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Pacy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hesp
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Halliday
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reeve
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D011188:Potassium