title: Relationship between pulmonary function and exercise capacity in individuals with spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether the relationship between impaired pulmonary function and level of spinal cord injury would relate to lower maximal ventilation during exercise (Vemax) and hence reduced aerobic capacity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pulmonary function and maximal aerobic capacity (V˙O2max) were assessed as measured by maximal oxygen uptake in 20 men with complete spinal cord injury (C5-T11). Static and dynamic lung volumes (forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, and maximum voluntary ventilation) were measured by spirometry. V˙O2max and Vemax were measured during a graded maximal exercise test on an arm crank ergometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Level of injury was inversely correlated with measures of pulmonary function, Vemax and V˙O2max. On the basis of the correlations, the authors constructed a path analysis to test whether level of injury indirectly (via pulmonary function and/or Vemax) or directly reduced V˙O2max. Akaike information criteria indicated that the strongest effect of level of injury on V˙O2max was via reduced Vemax.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respiratory capacity does influence exercise capacity in the population with spinal cord injury and may play an important role in delimiting aerobic exercise capacity.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and the Cardiovascular Research Laboratory and the Exercise for Persons with Disabilities (ExPD) Program, Spaulding Hospital Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battikha
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sà
authors.forename: Aidan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: J Andrew
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult