Aortic stiffness increased in spinal cord injury when matched for physical activity.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to compare arterial stiffness between those with spinal cord injury (SCI) and able-bodied (AB) individuals when matched for habitual level of physical activity.


METHODS
A total of 17 SCI and 17 AB individuals were matched for sex, age, weight, blood pressure, and levels of self-reported habitual physical activity (Godin-Shephard). Measures included central pulse wave velocity (PWV) (carotid-femoral PWV (cfPWV)) and lower limb PWV (femoral--toe PWV(ftPWV)) as well as large and small arterial compliance.


RESULTS
The cfPWV was significantly elevated (7.3 ± 2.1 vs. 5.7 ± 1.4 m·s, P < 0.05) in SCI compared with AB. No other measures of arterial stiffness were different between the groups. Moderate to vigorous physical activity was significantly correlated with both large (r = 0.48, P < 0.05) and small (r = 0.65, P < 0.01) artery compliance, but not cfPWV or ftPWV.


CONCLUSIONS
Both large and small artery compliance appear to be associated with habitual physical activity in physically active individuals with SCI. However, we did not show that physical activity is associated with PWV in physically active individuals with SCI. These findings suggest that factors other than physical inactivity may mediate the increase in arterial stiffness widely reported in the SCI population.
Cardiovascular Physiology and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Physical Activity Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Aaron A
AA
Phillips
Anita T
AT
Cote
Shannon S D
SS
Bredin
Andrei V
AV
Krassioukov
Darren E R
DE
Warburton
D000328:Adult; D001955:British Columbia; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D004548:Elasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult