Metabolic and endocrine changes in spinal cord injury: II (section 2). Partial decentralization of the autonomic...

This is the 3rd article (part II, section 2) of a 4-part series which provides a comprehensive review and analysis of the pertinent literature published over the last 25 years on the metabolic and endocrine consequences of spinal cord injury (SCI). The present article describes the consequences of totally removing the sympathetic and partially removing the parasympathetic nervous system from brain integration. The studies reviewed in this section include reports and investigations concerning fluid and electrolyte balance, renin, and aldosterone. Information from studies reviewed in this article is organized under the following headings: Problems Studied, Methods of Investigation and Results, Conclusions, Summary of Results, Discrepancies, Areas of Needed Research, and Practical Clinical Implications. Highlights of pertinent data contained in the original articles are organized in tables to facilitate direct comparisons between similar studies and between data on healthy subjects and SCI patients.