CHEST, 2020 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2019.10.044 · Published: May 1, 2020
High-level spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause breathing limitations during exercise. This study examined if non-invasive ventilation (NIV) could help SCI patients breathe better during a specific type of exercise called FES-rowing. Nineteen SCI patients performed FES-rowing with and without NIV. The researchers measured their breathing and aerobic capacity during the exercise. NIV improved the way patients breathed, making it deeper and slower, but it didn't always increase their peak oxygen consumption. The patients who seemed to benefit the most had cervical SCI and were within a shorter time since their injury.
NIV can be used to improve breathing patterns during exercise in SCI patients, leading to more efficient ventilation.
Patients with cervical SCI and shorter time since injury are more likely to benefit from NIV during exercise, suggesting a targeted approach.
By improving ventilatory capacity, NIV may allow SCI patients to train at higher exercise intensities, leading to improved health outcomes.