Impact of Adapted Sports Activities on the Progression of Carotid Atherosclerosis in Subjects With Spinal Cord Injury.

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.