Affiliations: Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chicago, IL, USA | Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA | Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA | Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Kathy Zebracki, Shriners Hospitals for
Children, 2211 N. Oak Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60707, USA. Tel.: +1 773 385 5832;
Fax: +1 773 385 5488; E-mail: kzebracki@shrinenet.org
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this manuscript is to present a general
overview and preliminary results of pilot projects of two complications in
pediatric spinal cord injury (SCI): autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction and
vitamin D deficiency. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional
investigations of blood pressures (BP), heart rates (HR), and vitamin D levels
were performed. RESULTS: Among 279 children with SCI, it was observed
that baseline BP increases and HR decreases with increasing age. Boys had
higher systolic BP and girls had higher HR, but a gender difference in
diastolic BP did not emerge. There were no significant associations of baseline
BP or HR as a function of injury level, severity, or duration. Among 82 youth
with SCI, 79% had vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. There were no
differences in vitamin D status as a function of gender or level of injury.
Adolescents, however, were more likely to exhibit deficiency compared to
children. IMPLICATIONS: Because of the clinical significance of autonomic
dysreflexia and orthostatic hypotension, baseline BP and HR need to be
routinely assessed in youth with SCI. In view of the high prevalence of vitamin
D insufficiency in youth with SCI and the risk of complications such as
pathological fractures, serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels should be
routinely monitored.
Keywords: Spinal cord injury, pediatrics, autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction, vitamin D
