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Mild Intermittent Hypoxia: A Prophylactic for Autonomic Dysfunction in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injuries

Who can join

Ages 18 to 60 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Motor incomplete spinal cord injury at or above the 12th thoracic vertebrae
* Signs or symptoms of autonomic dysfunction (this will be determined by the Autonomic Dysfunction Following Spinal Cord Injury (ADFSCI) and ISAFSCI questions. The ADFSCI requires a score of 1 on questions 16 and 22, and the International Standards to document Autonomic Function following SCI (ISAFSCI) requires a score of 1 on any parameter)
* Chronic injuries (\>1 year post injury)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant
* Smoker
* Drug addiction
* Complete spinal cord injury
* Spinal cord injury below the 6th thoracic vertebrae
* Insulin dependent diabetes
* Shift workers (i.e., disrupted circadian rhythm)
* Active skin breakdown or pressure sores

About the study

The prevalence of autonomic dysfunction and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is increased in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The loss of autonomic control results in autonomic dysreflexia (AD) and orthostatic hypotension (OH) which explains the increase in cardiovascular related mortality in these Veterans. There is no effective prophylaxis for autonomic dysfunction. The lack of prophylactic treatment for autonomic dysfunction, and no best clinical practices for SDB in SCI, are significant health concerns for Veterans with SCI. Therefore, the investigators will investigate the effectiveness of mild intermittent hypoxia (MIH) as a prophylactic for autonomic dysfunction in patients with SCI. The investigators propose that MIH targets several mechanisms associated with autonomic control and the co-morbidities associated with SDB. Specifically, exposure to MIH will promote restoration of homeostatic BP control, which would be beneficial to participation in daily activities and independence in those with SCI.

What is being tested

• Mild Intermittent Hypoxia (other)
• Sham (other)

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 24 · Started: Oct 1, 2022

Contact the study team

• Gino Panza, PhD · Phone: (313) 576-1000

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05351827

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Injuries

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 29, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.