This case-control study aims to investigate left ventricular remodeling in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) (≥10 years) and autonomic dysreflexia (AD) who have no prior cardiovascular history. The primary objective is to compare cardiac changes between 24 individuals with high-level SCI/D (above Th6) who have AD and 24 individuals with low-level SCI/D (below Th10) who do not have AD. A secondary objective examines how factors such as age, sex, injury duration, and physical activity are associated with cardiac remodeling. All 48 participants will undergo cardiac MRI as well as blood measurement of B-type natriuretic peptid to assess cardiac morphology and function. The findings could shed light on a potentially underestimated cardiovascular risk factor in the SCI/D population.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
48
Swiss Paraplegic Center
Nottwil, Switzerland
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (ml)
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume assessed by cardiac MRI
Time frame: baseline
Left ventricular mass (g)
Left ventricular mass assessed by cardiac MRI
Time frame: baseline
Left ventricular end systolic volume (ml)
Left ventricular end systolic volume assessed by cardiac MRI
Time frame: baseline
Left ventricular ejection fraction (%)
Percentage of blood pumped out of the heart's left ventricle with each contraction assessed by cardiac MRI
Time frame: baseline
B-type natriuretic peptide level (pg/ml)
B-type natriuretic peptide levels in blood serum
Time frame: baseline
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