Lipid profiles are influenced by arm cranking exercise and training in individuals with spinal cord injury

Abstract

Study design: A prospective, two-group comparative intervention study. Objective: To determine the acute and training effects of arm cranking exercise on blood lipid profiles in wheel chair bound individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and normal able-bodied subjects. Setting: Faculty of Science, School of Sport and Exercise Science, Liverpool John Moores University, England. Methods: Total cholesterol, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) at rest and in response to arm cranking exercise before and after 12 weeks of training were compared between individuals with SCI (N ¼ 5) and able-bodied subjects (N ¼ 7). Following the determination of peak oxygen consumption (VO 2peak ), all subjects performed a submaximal arm cranking exercise at an intensity corresponding to 60-65% VO 2peak for 30 min. Venous blood samples were obtained before and after submaximal exercise and measured for total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-C concentrations. These lipid parameters were remeasured in all subjects at rest and in response to the same submaximal arm cranking exercise after 12 weeks of individually supervised arm cranking training programme. Results: Before training, the resting mean value of triglyceride in individuals with SCI was significantly (Po0.05) higher than that found in able-bodied persons. Acute arm cranking exercise did not change total cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations in either the SCI or the able-bodied groups. However, HDL-C increased significantly following exercise in the ablebodied subjects. Following training, the resting mean value of total cholesterol in the group with SCI was significantly (Po0.05) higher compared with able-bodied individuals. Furthermore, the resting and post submaximal arm cranking exercise mean values of total cholesterol in the ablebodied group, but not in the group with SCI, were significantly lower than those observed before training. While the resting mean value of HDL-C before training in the group with SCI was lower than that found in the able-bodied, this difference did not reach the designated level of significance (P40.05). Submaximal arm cranking exercise was followed by a significant increase in HDL-C only in the able-bodied individuals. Compared to pretraining, the resting and post arm cranking exercise levels of HDL-C in the group with SCI increased significantly (Po0.05) after training. Conclusion: It is concluded that acute arm cranking exercise and training in individuals with SCI is associated with favourable effects on HDL-C, whereas total cholesterols and triglycerides were not altered. The mechanism responsible for the increase in HDL-C with training in individuals with SCI is not known, but it is likely to be related to increased activity of cholesterol transport enzymes lipoprotein lipase and acyltransferase.Spinal Cord (2005) 43, 299-305.

The association between regional body composition and metabolic outcomes in athletes with spinal cord injury

“…Similar to other populations, the favorable impact of exercise training on body composition, [1][2][3][4][5][6] glucose and insulin levels 7 and the lipid profile [1][2][3][4][5]8 has been investigated in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population. Beyond whole body measures, novel adipose tissue depots measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for the measurement of subcutaneous adipose tissue and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT).…”

Effect of Exercise on Disorders of Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Adults With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Systematic Review of the Evidence

“…Only 3 subjects were assigned to each group, and no control group was included for comparison. There were 12 studies that reported carbohydrate-related outcomes (9,10,(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35) (Table 1) and 15 that reported lipid-related outcomes (9,10,26,27,30,(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44) (Table 2). Only 1 study included cardiovascular morbidity as an endpoint (Table 2), and this was assessed using a survey instrument with variable levels of sensitivity and specificity when tested in able-bodied populations (45).…”

“…Two studies reported decreases in TC that were not statistically significant: 1 identified a 9% reduction among 5 participants after 3 months of armcrank exercise (38), and the other identified 11% and 6% reductions, respectively, among participants randomized to high-intensity (n 5 3) or low-intensity (n 5 3) arm crank programs (26). Only 1 study showed no change in TC in n 5 12 subjects after 12 weeks of arm crank training (37).…”

“…More than three fourths of subjects were men, with injury levels again ranging from C4 to L5 and including both incomplete and complete lesions. Six studies examined the effects of active exercise on lipid-related measures (26,27,(36)(37)(38)(39). Only 2 studies examined FES exercise (30,40).…”

“…We identified 16 studies involving 369 individuals that reported lipid- (9,10,26,27,30,(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44) or cardiovascular-(45) related outcomes ( Table 2). The overall quality of SCI-specific evidence supporting exercise as a therapy for lipid metabolism disorders was low (46,47).…”