Local vascular adaptations after hybrid training in spinal cord-injured subjects.
OBJECTIVE
Studies investigating vascular adaptations in non-exercised areas during whole body exercise training show conflicting results. Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) provide a unique model to examine vascular adaptations in active tissue vs adjacent inactive areas. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of 4 wk of voluntary arm and electrically stimulated leg exercise (8-12 sessions) on vascular adaptations in active areas (thigh and arms) and inactive areas (calf).


METHODS
Vascular characteristics were measured by plethysmography (blood flow and vascular resistance) and echo Doppler (diameter and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) after 13 min of ischemia).


RESULTS
After training, increased thigh baseline and peak blood flow, decreased thigh baseline vascular resistance, and increased diameter of the common femoral artery were found in the stimulated thigh tissue. Forearm and calf arterial parameters and FMD, in both superficial femoral artery and brachial artery, did not change. The lack of activity in the calf and concomitant insufficient elevation of blood flow during training, and the high initial training status of the arms are suggested to explain the absence of vascular adaptations in these areas.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of vascular adaptations after only 4 wk of FES cycling indicates that adaptations occur in an early phase. In addition, 4 wk of whole body exercise training in SCI individuals leads to vascular adaptations in the exercised tissues (thigh) but not in nonstimulated passive tissue (calf).
Thijssen
Dick H J
DH
Department of Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
Heesterbeek
Petra
P
van Kuppevelt
Dirk J M
DJ
Duysens
Jacques
J
Hopman
Maria T E
MT
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D009426:Netherlands; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010991:Plethysmography; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology