Comparación de los umbrales ventilatorios y los parámetros cardiorrespiratorios entre hombres adultos con paraplejia torácica baja e individuos sin lesión medular: Un estudio observacional transversal

Introduction: People with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience sensory, motor, and autonomic alterations that influence cardiovascular and respiratory responses during exercise. In this context, the objective of the present study was to compare the first and second ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2), peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), and peak heart rate (HRpeak) between adult men with low thoracic paraplegia and men without SCI. Material or Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional observational comparative study, n = 8 adult males with low thoracic paraplegia (neurological level T6-T12, ASIA A) (PARA group) and n = 19 adult males without SCI (CON group). A maximal incremental test was performed on an upper limb cycle ergometer, using a MetaMax®3B ergos- pirometer and a Polar H7 cardiac transmitter. The data obtained were analyzed with SPSS 17.0, applying the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test for group comparison. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in VT1 (U = 32, p = 0.019) and VT2 (U = 18.5, p = 0.002) in favor of the CON group. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in VO2peak (PARA = 2.7ml/kg/ min vs. CON=3.0ml/kg/min; p = 0.200) or HRpeak (PARA = 186 bpm vs. CON = 173 bpm; p = 0.099). Conclusion: This study revealed significant differences in ventilatory thresholds between men with and without low thoracic paraplegia, suggesting variations in submaximal exercise efficiency and capacity. Howe­ver, no notable differences were recorded in VO2 peak or HRpeak. These findings reinforce the importance of ventilatory thresholds as a tool for the assessment and prescription of exercise in individuals with SCI.