Body Composition Assessment in Spinal Cord Injury

Hunter Holmes Mcguire Veteran Affairs Medical Center170 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this research is to evaluate different methods of measuring body composition (amount of fat, muscle, bone, and water in your body) and to determine relationships between body composition and other medical problems associated with spinal cord injury (SCI).

A preliminary investigation in our laboratory has demonstrated the advantage of using 4-compartment modeling to assess body composition in SCI adults. In comparing body composition analyses techniques in 20 individuals with SCI, we found Total Error to be 8.0% with Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, 8.4% with hydrodensitometry, 11.5% with bioelectrical impedance analysis, and 21.8% with standard skinfold equations when compared to 4-compartment modeling, the currently accepted gold standard for body composition assessment. To date there is no gold standard for the determination of body composition in SCI individuals.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

170

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus Body Composition Tetraplegia Paraplegia Spinal Cord Injury

Interventions

Body compositionOTHER

Day 1 testing will incorporate underwater weighing, Bod Pod, DXA, BIA and anthropometrics. Day 2 will include RMR, MRI, and testing at GCRC

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Criteria for participation will include men and women within the age range of 18-65 years old with C5-L2 Motor-Complete (ASIA A\&B) * SCI of duration greater than 12 months to ensure a homogenous sample. Exclusion Criteria: * Persons with uncompensated hypothyroidism, and/or renal disease will be excluded from the study. * Additionally, individuals with uncontrolled autonomic dysreflexia, recent (within 3 months) deep vein thrombosis * Pressure ulcers \> Grade II will be excluded.

Locations (1)

Hunter Holmes McGuire Spinal Cord Injury Research Lab

Richmond, Virginia, United States

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

To compare different methods of body composition analyses with the gold standard 4-compartment monitoring to determine accuracy and validity of those alternative, but less labor-intensive techniques.

Time frame: 3 years

Secondary Outcomes

To assess the relationship between % body fat, visceral fat, and markers of the metabolic syndrome, including Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), Thrombin-Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor (TAFI), and high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP)

Time frame: 3 years

To develop body composition regression equations that can be easily utilized in a clinical setting to estimate risk for the metabolic syndrome in persons with SCI.

Time frame: 3 years

To cross-validate the derived regression equations against the gold standard 4-compartment model in an independent group of persons with SCI.

Time frame: 3 years

Central Contacts

Joshua Miller, MS

CONTACT

804-675-6200 Joshua.Miller@va.gov

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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