CARDIOVASCULAR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEDENTARY AND WHEELCHAIR-TRAINED SUBJECTS WITH PARAPLEGIA

Purpose: Heart dimensions, left ventricular function, and internal dim ensions of limb arteries, as well as physical fitness, were examined i n sedentary male subjects with paraplegia (SP, N = 20), national elite male athletes with paraplegia (PA, N = 29), and untrained able-bodied males (AB, N = 30). Methods: All subjects underwent two-dimensional e chocardiography, duplex sonography of common femoral artery and subcla vian artery at rest, and an incremental wheelchair ergometer exercise test. Results: Hear? volume in relation to body weight was not differe nt in PA as compared with that in AB (11.5 +/- 1.6 vs 11.6 +/- 2.2 mL. kg(-1); mean +/- SD), whereas SP showed significantly lower values (9. 7 +/- 1.5 mL.kg(-1)). Left ventricular ejection fraction was similar i n all subjects (59.9-60.8%). In relation to body surface area, subclav ian artery cross-sectional area was significantly higher in PA compare d with that in AB and SP, respectively (PA: 0.32 +/- 0.05, AB: 0.21 +/ - 0.06, SP: 022 +/- 0.05 cm(2)/m(2)). The corresponding values for the common femoral artery were significantly lower in all subjects with p araplegia as compared with those in AB, whereas no difference was foun d between PA and SP (AB: 0.31 +/- 0.05, PA: 0.14 +/- 0.04, SP: 0.15 +/ - 0.04 cm(2)/m(2)). Peak oxygen uptake ((V) over dot O-2peak) determin ed in the wheelchair ergometer exercise test was within the same range in PA and AB, but significantly (P < 0.05) lower in SP (PA: 34.5 +/- 4.3. AB: 31.5 +/- 4.1, SP: 23.9 +/- 3.8 mL.kg(-1).min(-1)). Conclusion s: In conclusion, cardiac dimensions and (V) over dot O-2peak of PA we re larger than in SP bur do not exceed those of AB. Intensive wheelcha ir training was associated with larger dimensions of the subclavian ar teries in PA, whereas a hypotrophy of the common femoral artery was fo und in SP and PA compared with that in AB.