title: Impact of Adapted Sports Activities on the Progression of Carotid Atherosclerosis in Subjects With Spinal Cord Injury.
abstract: To determine whether regular performance of adapted sports is associated with long-term changes in carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  
  Academic medical center.
  
  
  
  Men with chronic (>1y) SCI and no preserved motor function below the injury level were evaluated in 2007 and 2012 (N=17). Nine subjects did not perform physical activity between the studied time points (control group), whereas 8 subjects entered competitive upper-body sports programs (rugby: n=5, basketball: n=1, jiu-jitsu: n=1, and tennis: n=1) after baseline and were regularly training at the time of the second evaluation (sports group).
  
  
  
  Not applicable.
  
  
  
  Clinical, laboratory, hemodynamic, and carotid ultrasonography analysis.
  
  
  
  The studied groups showed no differences in all studied variables at baseline. After 5 years of follow-up, the control group showed increases in heart rate (87.0±3.1 vs 74.7±3.8 beats per minute; P=.004), but the participants had no significant changes in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (.65±.05 vs .67±.03mm; P=.73) or IMT/diameter (.118±.007 vs .136±.013; P=.24). In contrast, the sports group showed long-term decreases in carotid IMT (.56±.05 vs .74±.05mm; P=.001) and IMT/diameter (.097±.006 vs .141±.009; P<.001), but the participants did not show any variation in the other studied variables at follow-up.
  
  
  
  Regular upper-body sports activities are associated with long-term reductions in carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with SCI and might be a potential prevention strategy aiming to reduce cardiovascular risk in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Matos-Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Rossi
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anselmo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Costa E Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliza R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karla R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Pithon
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrei C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sposito
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Gorla
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cliquet
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: wilnj@fcm.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nadruz
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Exercise; Rehabilitation; Spinal cord injuries