Physiological and Metabolic Responses of Amateur Spinal Cord Injured Wheelchair Racers Participating in a Marathon: A Pilot Observational Study

OBJECTIVES: We analyzed exercise-related changes in cardiac troponins and other physiological and metabolic parameters in amateur wheelchair racers with spinal cord injury (SCI) participating in a marathon event. METHODS: This pilot, prospective, observational study was conducted at a community marathon event. Fifteen community-living individuals with SCI who had registered to participate in the marathon were recruited for the study. Participants with SCI used manually propelled wheelchairs (n=5) or tricycles (n=10). The outcome measures were high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-T levels (hs-cTnT), heart rate, and metabolic parameters, including body temperature, serum electrolytes, and urine osmolality. These parameters were compared with 15 age- and race-distance-matched non-SCI runners who participated in the same marathon. RESULTS: Participants with SCI had a higher median (inter-quartile range) baseline hs-cTnT level [13.7 ng/L (10.3–25)] than did runners [4.2 ng/L (3.2–8.7; P <0.001)]. Post-race values of hs-cTnT were elevated in participants with SCI [28.0 ng/L (19.0–48.2)] and in runners [41.5 ng/L (18.4–87.1, P= 0.7)]; however, there was no significant difference between the two groups. Other parameters were not significantly different between SCI participants and runners. CONCLUSION: Post-race hs-cTnT levels of amateur SCI participants were elevated but were not significantly different from those of runners. Other race-induced physiological and metabolic changes in SCI participants were comparable to those of runners. The high baseline hs-cTnT levels in participants with SCI observed in this study warrant further research.