Salbutamol effect in spinal cord injured individuals undergoing functional electrical stimulation training

Preliminary study to investigate possible changes in skeletal muscle morphology and function, as well as hormonal and metabolic effects, after treatment with a selective beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Three individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Two-week treatment with salbutamol (2mg) or placebo (ascorbic acid, 50mg) twice a day. Program of functional electronic stimulation (FES) cycling for 30 minutes twice a week.

Body weight, three measures of leg circumference (gluteal furrow, one third of subischial height up from tibial-femoral joint space, and minimum circumference above the knee), muscle fiber area, and total work output per session.

There were increases in body weight (2.30 +/- .70kg), leg circumferences (gluteal furrow 1.70 +/- .27cm, one third subischial height 1.53 +/- 1.65cm, minimum circumference above the knee .43 +/- .04cm), and muscle (vastus lateralis) cross-sectional area (1,374 +/- 493 to 2,446 +/- 1,177microm2) after salbutamol treatment, whereas quadriceps muscle contractile function was not modified. Total work output during FES cycling sessions was increased more during salbutamol treatment (64%) compared with training alone (27%). Salbutamol treatment was associated with a large decrease in skeletal muscle beta-adrenergic receptor density.

Although some side effects were noted, these results suggest that a short treatment with the beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist salbutamol during a training program with FES cycling could be beneficial in patients with SCI.