Severe spasticity in lower extremities is associated with reduced adiposity and lower fasting plasma glucose level in persons with spinal cord injury.
METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of severe lower extremity spasticity on anthropometric dimensions, body composition and metabolic profiles in persons with chronic motor complete spinal cord injury (SCI).


METHODS
Outpatient clinic.


METHODS
Fifty-five of the 61 participants were divided into two groups (no or mild spasticity group, 28; severe spasticity group, 27) based on the assessment of the extensor muscle spasticity according to the modified Ashworth scale. Anthropometric dimensions (waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WtHR)), body composition (fat mass (FM), body fat percentage (BFP), fat-free mass (FFM), fat-free mass percentage (FFMP), bone mineral density (BMD)) and metabolic profiles (leptin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)) were compared between the two groups with different degree of spasticity.


RESULTS
Spasticity of the extensor muscle group negatively correlated with BFP (r=-0.458, P<0.001). Patients with severe spasticity showed a lower WC and WtHR than those in the no or mild spasticity group (P=0.038, P=0.006, respectively). The FM, BFP, leptin and FPG of the severe spasticity group were significantly lower than those of the patients in the no or mild spasticity group (P=0.003, P<0.001, P<0.001 and P=0.037, respectively). However, no differences in BMD, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TG and HbA1c were observed between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that severe spasticity in lower extremities is associated with reduced adiposity and lower FPG levels in persons with chronic motor complete SCI.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
I-Y
IY
Jung
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Rehabilitation Center, Seoul, South Korea.
H-R
HR
Kim
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
S M
SM
Chun
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
J-H
JH
Leigh
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
H-I
HI
Shin
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010045:Outpatients; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*
D001786:Blood Glucose