Trajectories in the course of body mass index after spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE: To identify different trajectories of the course of body mass index (BMI) after spinal cord injury (SCI) and to study whether other cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, lipid profile) follow the same trajectories.

DESIGN: Multicenter prospective cohort study with measurements at the start of active rehabilitation, after 3 months, at discharge, and 1 and 5 years after discharge.

SETTING: Rehabilitation centers.

PARTICIPANTS: Persons with a recent SCI (N=204).

INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: BMI trajectories.

RESULTS: Three BMI trajectories were identified: (1) a favorable stable BMI during and after rehabilitation (± 22-23 kg/m(2)) (54%); (2) a higher but stable BMI during inpatient rehabilitation (± 24 kg/m(2)) and an increase after discharge (up to 29 kg/m(2)) (38%); and (3) an increase in BMI during inpatient rehabilitation (from ± 23 up to 28 kg/m(2)) and leveling off after discharge (8%). Profile analyses showed that an unfavorable change in BMI was not accompanied by clear unfavorable changes in blood pressure or lipid levels.

CONCLUSIONS: BMI in people with SCI follows distinct trajectories. Monitoring body mass, food intake, and daily physical activity during and especially after inpatient SCI rehabilitation is important to prevent obesity and related cardiovascular risk factors.