Characterization of Ventilatory Drive in Community-Dwelling Adults with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

Independently breathing adults with chronic SCI have P0.1 values within normal range. This suggests their intrinsic resting ventilatory drive recovers from potentially elevated states in the acute phase of injury and is sufficient to sustain ventilation. The significant correlation between P0.1 and body mass has not been reported in the general population and suggests that body mass, P0.1, and ventilatory drive are tightly coupled in adults with SCI despite independent breathing ability. The potential for increased body mass-induced strain on the respiratory pump after SCI may have implications for breathing during daily activities and exercise which should be explored in future research.