C-Reactive Protein Based on Injury Level and Physical Activity Level of Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Patient

Abstract

Background: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) causes sufferers to tend to experience cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmias, heart failure, and myocardial infarction four times greater than people of the same age but not affected by SCI. Patients of spinal cord injury (SCI) tend to have increased mass of fat, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), pressure ulcers, and loss of function of major muscle groups which result in decreased levels of physical activity. All of these conditions can lead to increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) to the SCI patients. Elevated CRP levels are an independent risk factor contributing to the development of cardiovascular disease in this population. Levels of CRP on SCI patients are affected by several factors, they are the level of the lesion and the level of physical activity. Assessment of CRP levels can predict the risk of cardiovascular disease on SCI patients. The aim of this study was to obtain information about the differences in CRP description on SCI patients based on the level of the lesion and the level of physical activity. Early detection, prevention, and appropriate treatment will have a good impact on the health and quality of patient life with SCI. Aim: Analysing the differences of C-reactive protein based on the level of injury and the level of physical activity of chronic spinal cord injury patients. Method: This research is a cross sectional study. The research subjects were chronic SCI patients, as many as 32 people, with injury duration of more than 1 year. Research subjects were divided based on the level of the lesion, that are lesion of the C3-T6 and T7- and under of it. Physical activity levels were divided into active and less active using the IPAQ questionnaire. Measurement of CRP on the subjects of this study was hs-CRP using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The hs-CRP analysis was carried out based on the level of the lesion and the level of physical activity on SCI patients during September 2020 to October 2021. Result: There was no significant difference in hs-CRP based on the level of injury between groups of C3-T6 and T7 - and under of it (p 0,884). Patients of SCI of C3-T6 level with active physical activity levels had significantly lower hs-CRP values than patients of SCI of C3-T6 level with less active physical activity levels (p 0,003). There was no difference in hs-CRP on the patients with SCI level T7 and under of it between active and less active levels of physical activity (p 0,165). Conclusion: The levels of hs-CRP on the chronic SCI patients did not differ based on the level of injury for age, body mass index, duration of injury, level of physical activity, etiology of SCI, AIS, and history of catheter use which were homogeneous in both groups. Patients of chronic SCI with active physical activity levels had better hs-CRP than those who were less active, especially in the SCI group of C3-T6.