Altered heart rate variability and pulse-wave velocity after spinal cord injury

Table 4 Comparison of pulse-wave velocity parameters between patients with and without spinal cord injury

	SCI (n = 60)	Non-SCI (n = 60)	P value
Continuous variables
DPI	-63.57 ± 44.51	-75.12 ± 46.32	0.17
EC	-88.59 ± 16.95	-88.67 ± 18.05	0.98
AE	-21.17 ± 15.27	-7.18 ± 17.29	< 0.001a
RBV	-27.65 ± 17.88	-30.08 ± 17.67	0.38
Categorical variables
Vascular age
Level 1	6 (10.0%)	18 (30.0%)	0.01a
Level 2	33 (55.0%)	20 (33.3%)
Level 3	4 (6.7%)	11 (18.3%)
Level 4	15 (25.0%)	10 (16.7%)
Level 5	1 (1.7%)	1 (1.7%)
Level 6	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)
DPI
Poor	8 (13.3%)	2 (3.3%)	0.12
Normal	26 (43.3%)	25 (41.7%)
Good	26 (43.3%)	33 (55.0%)
EC
Poor	12 (20.0%)	6 (10.0%)	0.24
Normal	28 (46.7%)	28 (46.7%)
Good	20 (33.3%)	26 (43.3%)
AE
Poor	24 (40.0%)	12 (20.0%)	0.001a
Normal	33 (55.0%)	31 (51.7%)
Good	3 (5.0%)	17 (28.3%)
RBV
Poor	8 (13.3%)	6 (10.0%)	0.56
Normal	21 (35.0%)	27 (45.0%)
Good	31 (51.7%)	27 (45.0%)

DPI: Differential pulse wave index; EC: Eccentric constriction power; AE: Arterial elasticity; RBV: Remaining blood volume;

^aStatistically significant (P < 0.05).