Intramuscular fat and glucose tolerance after spinal cord injury--a cross-sectional study.
METHODS
Survey.


OBJECTIVE
Determine intramuscular fat (IMF) in affected skeletal muscle after complete spinal cord injury using a novel analysis method and determine the correlation of IMF to plasma glucose or plasma insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test.


METHODS
General community of Athens, GA, USA.


METHODS
A total of 12 nonexercise-trained complete spinal cord injured (SCI) persons (10 males and two females 40+/-12 years old (mean+/-SD), range 26-71 years, and 8+/-5 years post SCI) and nine nonexercise-trained nondisabled (ND) controls 29+/-9 years old, range 23-51 years, matched for height, weight, and BMI, had T(1) magnetic resonance images of their thighs taken and underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) after giving consent.


RESULTS
Average skeletal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) (mean+/-SD) was 58.6+/-21.6 cm(2) in spinal cord subjects and 94.1+/-32.5 cm(2) in ND subjects. Average IMF CSA was 14.5+/-6.0 cm(2) in spinal cord subjects and 4.7+/-2.5 cm(2) in nondisabled subjects, resulting in an almost four-fold difference in IMF percentage of 17.3+/-4.4% in spinal cord subjects and 4.6+/-2.6% in nondisabled subjects. The 60, 90 and 120 min plasma glucose or plasma insulin were higher in the SCI group. IMF (absolute and %) was related to the 90 or 120 min plasma glucose or plasma insulin (r(2)=0.71-0.40).


CONCLUSIONS
IMF is a good predictor of plasma glucose during an OGTT and may be a contributing factor to the onset of impaired glucose tolerance and type II diabetes, especially in SCI. In addition, reports of skeletal muscle CSA should be corrected for IMF.
Department of Exercise Science, The University of Georgia, 300 River Road, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
C P
CP
Elder
D F
DF
Apple
C S
CS
Bickel
R A
RA
Meyer
G A
GA
Dudley
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005223:Fats / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011336:Probability; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000534:rehabilitation
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005223:Fats