Impact of Passive Heat on Metabolic, Inflammatory and Vascular Health in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury
Completed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Spinal Cord Injury, Chronic Inflammation, Glucose Metabolism, Endothelial Function
In brief
SCI results in higher incidence of heart disease and diabetes and heart disease is the most common cause of death. Chronic inflammation, deleterious changes in vascular structure and impaired glucose metabolism are risk factors that contribute to both heart disease and diabetes. While exercise can help reduce these risk factors, paralysis and impaired accessibility often precludes exercise in persons with SCI. New research in able-bodied persons demonstrates passive heating decreases inflammation and improves vascular function. Similar studies in persons with SCI suggest they may also have the same health benefits however these studies only investigated the impact of short term (one episode) passive heating (as opposed to repeated bouts). Repeated bouts of heat exposure will likely be required to impact chronic inflammation, but this has never been tested in persons with SCI. This study will test the impact of repeated bouts (3x/week) of passive heat stress over a longer term (8 weeks) on inflammation, metabolism and vascular function.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT04971408
- Run by
- VA Office of Research and Development
- People needed
- 10
- Starts
- 2022-07-01
- Expected to finish
- 2024-06-30
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-03-06
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Stable SCI over 1 year of duration
You may not qualify if…
- Persons who smoke cigarettes
- Daily administration of anti-inflammatory medications
- Daily administration of vasoactive medications
- Pressure ulcer stage 3 or 4
- History of heat related illness
Where it is running
- South Texas Health Care System, San Antonio, TX — San Antonio, Texas, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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