Evaluating Perfusion Index to Predict Blood Pressure Changes in Adults With Spinal Cord Injury During a Controlled Cool Temperature Challenge

What this Trial Is About

The trial investigates whether the perfusion index PI can reliably predict changes in systolic blood pressure SBP in adults with spinal cord injury SCI during a controlled cool temperature challenge. The study involves participants aged 18 to 75 years with SCI at neurological levels C4-T12 graded as ASIA Impairment Scale A or B motor complete, along with healthy age- and gender-matched able-bodied controls. Researchers aim to understand the relationship between PI and SBP changes, which may help clarify blood pressure instability after SCI and contribute to developing wearable monitoring devices. Participants in both groups undergo a non-invasive cool thermal challenge in a climate-controlled chamber at 18C 64.4F for up to 90 minutes, after a 10-minute baseline period at 27C 80F. They wear shorts and a T-shirt while seated in a wheelchair. Continuous measurements of PI, blood pressure, and other vital signs are recorded using sensors attached to the skin throughout the warm baseline and cool challenge phases. During the study, participants will have temperature sensors taped to their forehead and pulse oximeters placed on their ear, finger, and toe to measure PI and beat-to-beat blood pressure. Measurements are taken while seated in a wheelchair for 10 minutes in a warm room and then up to 90 minutes in a cool room. The primary outcomes are continuous recordings of PI and SBP during these phases. This research may support the development of wearable devices for early detection and management of blood pressure fluctuations in persons with SCI.

AI-Guided Predictions of Blood Pressure Dysregulation Using Perfusion Index as a Novel Biomarker in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury