Exercise and aerobic capacity in individuals with spinal cord injury: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression

by Daniel D. Hodgkiss, Gurjeet S. Bhangu, Carole Lunny, Catherine R. Jutzeler, Shin-Yi Chiou, Matthias Walter, Samuel J. E. Lucas, Andrei V. Krassioukov, Tom E. Nightingale BackgroundA low level of cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF; defined as peak oxygen uptake (V ˙O2peak) or peak power output (PPO)] is a widely reported consequence of spinal cord injury (SCI) and a major risk factor associated with chronic disease. However, CRF can be modified by exercise. This systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression aimed to assess whether certain SCI characteristics and/or specific exercise considerations are moderators of changes in CRF. Methods and findingsDatabases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science) were searched from inception to March 2023. A primary meta-analysis was conducted including randomised controlled trials (RCTs; exercise interventions lasting>2 weeks relative to control groups). A secondary meta-analysis pooled independent exercise interventions>2 weeks from longitudinal pre-post and RCT studies to explore whether subgroup differences in injury characteristics and/or exercise intervention parameters explained CRF changes. Further analyses included cohort, cross-sectional, and observational study designs. Outcome measures of interest were absolute (AV ˙O2peak) or relative V ˙O2peak (RV ˙O2peak), and/or PPO. Bias/quality was assessed via The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and the National Institute of Health Quality Assessment Tools. Certainty of the e...
Source: PLoS Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Source Type: research