Improving 24-hour Blood Pressure Stability in Spinal Cord Injury With Low Oxygen Therapy

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Low oxygen therapy (LOT): Participants will breathe variable concentrations of inspired oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. The concentrations will be adjusted on a breath-by-breath basis to maintain end-tidal targets. Each daily session of the intervention will consist of forty 1-minute intervals. Each 1-minute interval will consist of 40 seconds of hypercapnic hypoxia, increasing the partial pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide by +4 mmHg and decreasing the partial pressure of end-tidal oxygen to 45 mmHg, followed by 20 seconds in simulated room air to return to baseline carbon dioxide and oxygen levels.

Study summary

This study examines the effects of low oxygen therapy (LOT) on the stability of 24-hour blood pressure in persons with chronic cervical spinal cord injury.

This study will examine if brief episodes of breathing lower oxygen, termed low oxygen therapy (LOT), which has been shown to enhance autonomic nervous system activity, can improve blood pressure stability in individuals with spinal cord injury. The research team will assess 24-hour blood pressure, as well as cardiac, vascular, and autonomic function before and after a 4-day LOT treatment intervention. This study will advance current understanding of treatments to mitigate cardiovascular disease risk in people with spinal cord injuries.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Change in 24-hour blood pressure — Change from baseline of 24-hour mean arterial blood pressure at 1-day post-intervention
  Mean arterial blood pressure (mmHg), averaged across 24 hours

Trial sites (2)

Other trials for the same condition