Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury

Abstract This study aims to assess the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gas metabolic responses elicited during functional electrical stimulation (FES)-cycling exercise in individuals with subacute traumatic motor-complete cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) classified as ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS)...

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Main Authors: Zhenzhen Gao, Yajun Mao, Shiyan Wang, Zhiwen Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14627-3
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author Zhenzhen Gao
Yajun Mao
Shiyan Wang
Zhiwen Zhu
author_facet Zhenzhen Gao
Yajun Mao
Shiyan Wang
Zhiwen Zhu
author_sort Zhenzhen Gao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study aims to assess the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gas metabolic responses elicited during functional electrical stimulation (FES)-cycling exercise in individuals with subacute traumatic motor-complete cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) classified as ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) grades A and B. This assessment was conducted utilizing cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Participants who met the eligibility criteria, characterized by subacute traumatic motor-complete CSCI, first underwent static pulmonary function testing. This was followed by a recumbent FES-cycling protocol, which involved incremental speed increases of 5 revolutions per minute (RPM). Throughout the exercise, continuous monitoring of electrocardiographic data, blood pressure, respiratory parameters, and gas metabolism was performed using CPET. Key physiological metrics, including minute ventilation (VE), tidal volume (VT), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO2), and oxygen pulse (O2 pulse), were recorded at 2-minute intervals. A total of 18 participants in the subacute phase of recovery, with an injury duration ranging from 19 to 61 days, completed the study. Static pulmonary function testing indicated the presence of restrictive ventilatory dysfunction in all participants, with 22.2% exhibiting concurrent obstructive ventilatory dysfunction and 77.8% demonstrating a reduced ventilatory reserve. During FES-cycling exercise, significant inter-phase variations were observed across all measured parameters (p < 0.05). The variables of VE, SBP, DBP, HR, VO2, and O2 pulse exhibited concordant trends with the progression of RPM, with statistically significant differences identified between successive phases for VE, VO2, and O2 pulse (p < 0.05). Conversely, VT displayed discordant trends in relation to RPM. Individuals in the subacute phase of traumatic motor-complete CSCI demonstrate significant acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to FES cycling exercise. These responses encompass an augmentation in VE, VT, and VO2, concomitant with an escalation in HR, O2 pulse, and BP.
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spelling doaj-art-8d0b8d9f62ea437a9359b316f3eca3962025-08-20T04:02:56ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-011511910.1038/s41598-025-14627-3Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injuryZhenzhen Gao0Yajun Mao1Shiyan Wang2Zhiwen Zhu3Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine)Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine)Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine)Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine)Abstract This study aims to assess the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gas metabolic responses elicited during functional electrical stimulation (FES)-cycling exercise in individuals with subacute traumatic motor-complete cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) classified as ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) grades A and B. This assessment was conducted utilizing cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Participants who met the eligibility criteria, characterized by subacute traumatic motor-complete CSCI, first underwent static pulmonary function testing. This was followed by a recumbent FES-cycling protocol, which involved incremental speed increases of 5 revolutions per minute (RPM). Throughout the exercise, continuous monitoring of electrocardiographic data, blood pressure, respiratory parameters, and gas metabolism was performed using CPET. Key physiological metrics, including minute ventilation (VE), tidal volume (VT), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO2), and oxygen pulse (O2 pulse), were recorded at 2-minute intervals. A total of 18 participants in the subacute phase of recovery, with an injury duration ranging from 19 to 61 days, completed the study. Static pulmonary function testing indicated the presence of restrictive ventilatory dysfunction in all participants, with 22.2% exhibiting concurrent obstructive ventilatory dysfunction and 77.8% demonstrating a reduced ventilatory reserve. During FES-cycling exercise, significant inter-phase variations were observed across all measured parameters (p < 0.05). The variables of VE, SBP, DBP, HR, VO2, and O2 pulse exhibited concordant trends with the progression of RPM, with statistically significant differences identified between successive phases for VE, VO2, and O2 pulse (p < 0.05). Conversely, VT displayed discordant trends in relation to RPM. Individuals in the subacute phase of traumatic motor-complete CSCI demonstrate significant acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to FES cycling exercise. These responses encompass an augmentation in VE, VT, and VO2, concomitant with an escalation in HR, O2 pulse, and BP.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14627-3Functional electrical stimulationCervical spinal cord injurySubacute phaseCardiopulmonary exercise testing
spellingShingle Zhenzhen Gao
Yajun Mao
Shiyan Wang
Zhiwen Zhu
Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
Scientific Reports
Functional electrical stimulation
Cervical spinal cord injury
Subacute phase
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
title Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
title_full Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
title_fullStr Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
title_full_unstemmed Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
title_short Acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
title_sort acute cardiorespiratory physiological responses to functional electrically stimulated cycling in individuals with subacute phase traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
topic Functional electrical stimulation
Cervical spinal cord injury
Subacute phase
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14627-3
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