Body composition and metabolic parameters in men with chronic traumatic paraplegia – A pilot study from India

This study investigates the body composition and metabolic health of Indian men with paraplegia compared to able-bodied men. It focuses on understanding how spinal cord injury affects fat and muscle mass and how these changes relate to insulin resistance and cholesterol levels. The research utilizes DXA scans to measure body fat and lean mass, providing a more detailed assessment than BMI alone. This is crucial because BMI may not accurately reflect body fat distribution in individuals with spinal cord injuries. The findings reveal that men with paraplegia have lower muscle mass, higher fat mass, increased insulin resistance, and lower levels of good cholesterol (HDL-C). These factors collectively increase the risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases.

• 1
  Men with paraplegia have significantly lower lean mass index (LMI) and appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) compared to able-bodied controls.
• 2
  Subjects with paraplegia exhibit a higher percentage of total body fat (%FM) and altered regional adiposity, indicated by a lower trunk to leg fat ratio.
• 3
  Individuals with paraplegia demonstrate increased insulin resistance, shown by higher HOMA-IR and lower QUICKI, along with lower HDL-C levels.