Effect of Immersion Level on Respiratory Function of Spinal Cord Injury Patients During Balneotherapy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Balneotherapy is a physiotherapy technique which allows patients to work out in a weightless environment and which is often used in patients with spinal cord injury. In normal subjects, water immersion generates a reduction in lung volumes. The effects of water immersion on the respiratory function of spinal cord injury patient (who are liable to present a respiratory failure secondary to paralysis) are not well known. They could be deleterious (by majoring respiratory failure)or beneficial (by mimicking the effect of a corset and improving respiratory function). Therefore, we are planning to study the effect of different water immersion levels on the respiratory function of spinal cord injury patients.

Official Title
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Etude Pilote évaluant l'Effet du Niveau d'Immersion Sur la Fonction Respiratoire Des Patients tétraplégiques bénéficiant de balnéothérapie

Conditions
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Spinal Cord Injury

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Water immersion at cervical level
* Other: Water immersion at xyphoid level


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Adult Patient complete tetraplegia from spinal cord injury initial spinal cord injury at leat 3 months before study Exclusion Criteria: contra indication to a balneotherapy session (bed-sore, skin infection or irritation, urinary or fecal incontinency, tracheostomy, ongoing infection) unstable respiratory state (patient free of respiratory infection or encumbrance) refusal to participate to the protocol pregnancy

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Water immersion at cervical level<br>Lung function of spinal cord injury patients will be studied with a water immersion at cervical level | Other: Water immersion at cervical level<br>* balneotherapy session of spinal cord patients with a Water immersion at cervical level<br>|
| Experimental: Water immersion at xyphoid level<br>Lung volumes of spinal cord injury patients will be studied with a Water immersion at xyphoid level | Other: Water immersion at xyphoid level<br>* balneotherapy session of spinal cord patients with a Water immersion at xyphoid level<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lung volumes | Measurement of lung volumes (Vital capacity, Forced Expiratory volume at 1 second and total lung capacity) measured by standard pulmonary function test | 1 hour | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Respiratory comfort | Respiratory comfort is evaluated with a visual analogical scale (ranked from 0 to 10) and the Borg dyspnea score | 1 hour | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Lung function, Water immersion, Balneotherapy