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Heart changes in people with spinal cord injury and autonomic dysreflexia

Compares heart scans and blood tests in people with long-term spinal cord injury.

Key facts

Who runs it
Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil
Where
Switzerland1 site in 1 countryChoose a country to see its sites
Trial code
Registry title
Cardiac Morphology and Function in Individuals With Autonomic Dysreflexia
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
48 people, planned
Started
1 Jun 2026
Expected to end
31 Oct 2028
Type of study
Observational, 2 groups
Record updated
27 August 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults who have lived with a spinal cord injury or disease for more than 10 years. One group has a high-level injury with autonomic dysreflexia (sudden, dangerous rises in blood pressure). The other group has a low-level injury without it.

Age
18 years or older
Sex
All sexes
Disease stage
Motor-complete spinal cord injury or disease (AIS A or B), present for more than 10 years. Group A: injury above Th6 with autonomic dysreflexia. Group B: injury below Th10 without autonomic dysreflexia.
Earlier treatment
People taking blood pressure lowering medicine cannot join. People who had sacral deafferentation surgery cannot join.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Heart disease, such as a heart defect from birth, valve disease, cardiomyopathy, a heart attack or medium to severe heart rhythm problems
  • High blood pressure or other illnesses that change the heart or raise blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Pregnancy
  • Active implanted medical devices, or fear of tight spaces (claustrophobia)

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 19 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • adults aged 18 years or older
  • long-term (>10 years), motor-complete SCI/D (AIS A and B)
  • Group A (24 individuals): high-level (>Th6) SCI/D and autonomic dysreflexia
  • Group B (24 individuals): low-level (<Th10) SCI/D without autonomic dysreflexia
  • signed informed consent

Who cannot take part

  • individuals after sacral deafferentation surgery
  • congenital heart defects
  • valvular disease(s)
  • medium to severe arrhythmia
  • myocardial infarction
  • comorbidities causing morphologic heart changes including primary hypertension, aortic stenosis
  • comorbidities causing arterial hypertension
  • cardiomyopathy
  • use of anti-hypertensive treatment
  • smokers
  • pregnancy
  • active implanted medical devices
  • claustrophobia
  • inability to comply with the measurement procedures

This trial has no sites in United States.

It has sites in one country. Choose a country to see its sites.

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

This case-control study aims to investigate left ventricular remodeling in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) (≥10 years) and autonomic dysreflexia (AD) who have no prior cardiovascular history. The primary objective is to compare cardiac changes between 24 individuals with high-level SCI/D (above Th6) who have AD and 24 individuals with low-level SCI/D (below Th10) who do not have AD. A secondary objective examines how factors such as age, sex, injury duration, and physical activity are associated with cardiac remodeling.

Read full original descriptionShow less

All 48 participants will undergo cardiac MRI as well as blood measurement of B-type natriuretic peptid to assess cardiac morphology and function. The findings could shed light on a potentially underestimated cardiovascular risk factor in the SCI/D population.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • AD+

    Spinal Cord Injury, above Th6, AIS A or B, Autonomic Dysreflexia

  • AD-

    Spinal Cord Injury, below Th10, AIS A or B, no Autonomic Dysreflexia

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Assessment of Cardiac Morphology and Function in Individuals With and Without Autonomic Dysreflexia Due to Spinal Cord Injury or Disease
Plain-language title
Heart changes in people with spinal cord injury and autonomic dysreflexiaGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Record updated
27 August 2026