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Lipid metabolism after mild cold stress in persons with a cervical spinal cord injury
Kazunari Nishiyama1,2, Yoshi-Ichiro Kamijo3, Jan W van der Scheer4,5
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Kimiidera, Wakayama, Japan.
Study Design:
Experimental study.
Objectives:
To compare lipid metabolism in individuals with a cervical spinal cord injury (SCIC) and able-bodied (AB) persons in response to mild cold stress.
Settings:
Laboratory of Wakayama Medical University, Japan.
Methods:
Nine males with SCIC and 11 AB wore a water-perfusion suit in a supine position. Following 30-min rest thermoneutrality, the whole body was cooled by perfusing 25 °C water through the suit for 15-20 min (CS). Blood samples were collected before, immediately, and 60 (post-CS60) and 120 min after CS (post-CS120). Concentrations of serum free fatty acid ([FFA]s), total ketone bodies ([tKB]s), insulin ([Ins]s) and plasma adrenaline ([Ad]p), noradrenaline ([NA]p) and glucose ([Glc]p) were assessed.
Results:
[Ad]p in SCIC were lower than AB throughout the study (p = 0.0002) and remained largely unchanged in both groups. [NA]p increased after cold stress in AB only (p < 0.0001; GxT p = 0.006). [FFA]s increased by 62% immediately after cold stress in SCIC (p = 0.0028), without a difference between groups (p = 0.65). [tKB]s increased by 69% at post-CS60 and 132% at post-CS120 from the start in SCIC with no differences between groups (p = 0.54). [Glc]p and [Ins]s were reduced in SCIc only (GxT p = 0.003 and p = 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion:
These data indicate that mild cold stress acutely elevates lipid and ketone body metabolism in persons with SCIc, despite the presence of sympathetic dysfunction.
