title: Improvement in hemodynamic responses to metaboreflex activation after one year of training in spinal cord injured humans.
abstract: Spinal cord injured (SCI) individuals show an altered hemodynamic response to metaboreflex activation due to a reduced capacity to vasoconstrict the venous and arterial vessels below the level of the lesion. Exercise training was found to enhance circulating catecholamines and to improve cardiac preload and venous tone in response to exercise in SCI subjects. Therefore, training would result in enhanced diastolic function and capacity to vasoconstrict circulation. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that one year of training improves hemodynamic response to metaboreflex activation in these subjects. Nine SCI individuals were enrolled and underwent a metaboreflex activation test at the beginning of the study (T0) and after one year of training (T1). Hemodynamics were assessed by impedance cardiography and echocardiography at both T0 and T1. Results show that there was an increment in cardiac output response due to metaboreflex activity at T1 as compared to T0 (545.4 ± 683.9 mL · min(-1) versus 220.5 ± 745.4 mL · min(-1), P < 0.05). Moreover, ventricular filling rate response was higher at T1 than at T0. Similarly, end-diastolic volume response was increased after training. We concluded that a period of training can successfully improve hemodynamic response to muscle metaboreflex activation in SCI subjects.
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milia
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roberto
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0954-2901
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marongiu
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olla
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Angius
authors.affiliation: Unit of Cardiology and Angiology, Department of Medical Sciences, AOU University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bassareo
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinna
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5415-2913
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tocco
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Concu
authors.affiliation: Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crisafulli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy