Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether regular performance of adapted sports is
associated with long-term changes in carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with
spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: 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). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical,
laboratory, hemodynamic, and carotid ultrasonography analysis. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS