Peripheral vascular changes after electrically stimulated cycle training in people with spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether a short period of training leads to adaptations in the cross-sectional area of large conduit arteries and improved blood flow to the paralyzed legs of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).


METHODS
Before-after trial.


METHODS
Rehabilitation center, academic medical center.


METHODS
Nine men with spinal cord lesions.


METHODS
Six weeks of cycling using a functional electrically stimulated leg cycle ergometer (FES-LCE).


METHODS
Longitudinal images and simultaneous velocity spectra were measured in the common carotid (CA) and femoral (FA) arteries using quantitative duplex Doppler ultrasound examination. Arterial diameters, peak systolic inflow volumes (PSIVs), mean inflow volumes (MIVs), and a velocity index (VI), representing the peripheral resistance, were obtained at rest. PSIVs and VI were obtained during 3 minutes of hyperemia following 20 minutes of FA occlusion.


RESULTS
Training resulted in significant increases in diameter (p < .01), PSIVs (p < .01), and MIVs (p < .05), and reduced VI (p < .01) of the FA, whereas values in the CA remained unchanged. Postocclusive hyperemic responses were augmented, indicated by significantly higher PSIVs (p <.01) and a trend toward lower VI.


CONCLUSIONS
Six weeks of FES-LCE training increased the cross-sectional area of large conduit arteries and improved blood flow to the paralyzed legs of individuals with SCI.
Gerrits
H L
HL
Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. k_gerrits@fbw.vu.nl
de Haan
A
A
Sargeant
A J
AJ
van Langen
H
H
Hopman
M T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001642:Bicycling; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014655:Vascular Resistance