Skeletal muscle atrophy and increased intramuscular fat after incomplete spinal cord injury

• Published in: Spinal cord Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 304 - 309
• Main Authors: GORGEY, A. S, DUDLEY, G. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing 01.04.2007; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - pathology; Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cerebrospinal fluid. Meninges. Spinal cord; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Female; Humans; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscular Atrophy - pathology; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Spinal Cord Injuries - pathology; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Atrophy; Nervous system diseases; Vertebral canal; intramuscular fat; MRI; skeletal muscle atrophy; Spinal cord trauma; Central nervous system disease; incomplete SCI; Striated muscle; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Spinal cord disease
• ISSN: 1362-4393; 1476-5624
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.sc.3101968

Cross-sectional and longitudinal design. (1) To quantify skeletal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) after correcting for intramuscular fat (IMF) in thigh muscle groups 6 weeks after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), (2) to monitor the changes in muscle CSA and IMF after 3 months from the initial measurement. Academic institution Athens, GA, USA. Six incomplete SCI patients (28+/-4 years, 178+/-5 cm and 78+/-6 kg, mean+/-SE, C7 to L3, American Spinal Injury Association B or C) were tested at 5+/-1 weeks and 3 months after the initial measurement. T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were taken of both thighs. Six able-bodied (AB) controls were matched in age, sex, height and weight (29+/-4 years, four male and two female subjects, 179+/-5 cm and 77+/-6 kg). At 6 weeks post-injury, muscle CSA was 82+/-4 cm(2) in incomplete SCI and 123+/-21 cm(2) in AB controls (P=0.04). IMF CSA was 5.2+/-1.3 and 2.3+/-0.6 cm(2) in incomplete SCI and AB controls, respectively (P=0.03). Relative IMF was three-fold higher (P=0.03) in the SCI group versus AB controls (5.8+/-1.4 versus 2.0+/-0.6%). After 3 months, IMF increased 26% in the SCI group compared to the initial measurement (P=0.02). Skeletal muscle atrophy is associated with greater IMF accumulation in SCI group 6 weeks post-injury compared to AB controls. Moreover, IMF continues to increase over time in incomplete SCI.