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Download fileSalivary alpha amylase not chromogranin A reflects sympathetic activity: exercise responses in elite male wheelchair athletes with or without cervical spinal cord injury
journal contribution
posted on 2017-01-06, 11:33 authored by Christof LeichtChristof Leicht, Thomas A.W. Paulson, Vicky Goosey-TolfreyVicky Goosey-Tolfrey, Nicolette BishopNicolette BishopBackground: Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and chromogranin A (sCgA) have both
been suggested as non-invasive markers for sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
activity. A complete cervical spinal cord injury leading to tetraplegia is accompanied
with sympathetic dysfunction; the aim of this study was to establish the exercise
response of these markers in this in vivo model.
Methods: Twenty-six elite male wheelchair athletes (C6-C7 tetraplegia: N=8, T6-L1
paraplegia: N=10 and non spinal cord injured controls: N=8) performed treadmill
exercise to exhaustion. Saliva and blood samples were taken pre, post, and 30 min
post exercise and analysed for sAA, sCgA and plasma adrenaline concentration,
respectively.
Results: In all three subgroups, sAA and sCgA were elevated post exercise (P<0.05).
Whilst sCgA was not different between subgroups, a group x time interaction for sAA
explained the reduced post exercise sAA activity in tetraplegia (162±127 vs 313±99
(paraplegia) and 328±131 U∙mL-1 (controls), P=0.005). The post exercise increase in
adrenaline was not apparent in tetraplegia (P=0.74). A significant correlation was found
between adrenaline and sAA (r=0.60, P=0.01), but not between adrenaline and sCgA
(r=0.06, P=0.79).
Conclusions: The blunted post-exercise rise in sAA and adrenaline in tetraplegia
implies that both reflect SNS activity to some degree. It is questionable whether sCgA
should be used as a marker for SNS activity, both due to the exercise response which
is not different between the subgroups and its non-significant relationship with
adrenaline.
Funding
This work was funded by the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport.
History
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- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences