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Hodgkiss DD, Bhangu GS, Lunny C, Jutzeler CR, Chiou SY, Walter M, Lucas SJE, Krassioukov AV, Nightingale TE. Exercise and aerobic capacity in individuals with spinal cord injury: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. PLoS Med 2023; 20:e1004082. [PMID: 38011304 PMCID: PMC10712898 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A low level of cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF; defined as peak oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]O2peak) or peak power output (PPO)] is a widely reported consequence of spinal cord injury (SCI) and a major risk factor associated with chronic disease. However, CRF can be modified by exercise. This systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression aimed to assess whether certain SCI characteristics and/or specific exercise considerations are moderators of changes in CRF. METHODS AND FINDINGS Databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science) were searched from inception to March 2023. A primary meta-analysis was conducted including randomised controlled trials (RCTs; exercise interventions lasting >2 weeks relative to control groups). A secondary meta-analysis pooled independent exercise interventions >2 weeks from longitudinal pre-post and RCT studies to explore whether subgroup differences in injury characteristics and/or exercise intervention parameters explained CRF changes. Further analyses included cohort, cross-sectional, and observational study designs. Outcome measures of interest were absolute (A[Formula: see text]O2peak) or relative [Formula: see text]O2peak (R[Formula: see text]O2peak), and/or PPO. Bias/quality was assessed via The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and the National Institute of Health Quality Assessment Tools. Certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Random effects models were used in all meta-analyses and meta-regressions. Of 21,020 identified records, 120 studies comprising 29 RCTs, 67 pre-post studies, 11 cohort, 7 cross-sectional, and 6 observational studies were included. The primary meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in A[Formula: see text]O2peak [0.16 (0.07, 0.25) L/min], R[Formula: see text]O2peak [2.9 (1.8, 3.9) mL/kg/min], and PPO [9 (5, 14) W] with exercise, relative to controls (p < 0.001). Ninety-six studies (117 independent exercise interventions comprising 1,331 adults with SCI) were included in the secondary, pooled meta-analysis which demonstrated significant increases in A[Formula: see text]O2peak [0.22 (0.17, 0.26) L/min], R[Formula: see text]O2peak [2.8 (2.2, 3.3) mL/kg/min], and PPO [11 (9, 13) W] (p < 0.001) following exercise interventions. There were subgroup differences for R[Formula: see text]O2peak based on exercise modality (p = 0.002) and intervention length (p = 0.01), but there were no differences for A[Formula: see text]O2peak. There were subgroup differences (p ≤ 0.018) for PPO based on time since injury, neurological level of injury, exercise modality, and frequency. The meta-regression found that studies with a higher mean age of participants were associated with smaller changes in A[Formula: see text]O2peak and R[Formula: see text]O2peak (p < 0.10). GRADE indicated a moderate level of certainty in the estimated effect for R[Formula: see text]O2peak, but low levels for A[Formula: see text]O2peak and PPO. This review may be limited by the small number of RCTs, which prevented a subgroup analysis within this specific study design. CONCLUSIONS Our primary meta-analysis confirms that performing exercise >2 weeks results in significant improvements to A[Formula: see text]O2peak, R[Formula: see text]O2peak, and PPO in individuals with SCI. The pooled meta-analysis subgroup comparisons identified that exercise interventions lasting up to 12 weeks yield the greatest change in R[Formula: see text]O2peak. Upper-body aerobic exercise and resistance training also appear the most effective at improving R[Formula: see text]O2peak and PPO. Furthermore, acutely injured, individuals with paraplegia, exercising for ≥3 sessions/week will likely experience the greatest change in PPO. Ageing seemingly diminishes the adaptive CRF responses to exercise training in individuals with SCI. REGISTRATION PROSPERO: CRD42018104342.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D. Hodgkiss
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Gurjeet S. Bhangu
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- MD Undergraduate Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Carole Lunny
- Knowledge Translation Program, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Catherine R. Jutzeler
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Schulthess Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shin-Yi Chiou
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- MRC Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Trauma Science Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Walter
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Samuel J. E. Lucas
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Andrei V. Krassioukov
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tom E. Nightingale
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Centre for Trauma Science Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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