# Effect of Hypercapnia Treatment on Respiratory Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury

> **NIH VA I21** · JOHN D DINGELL VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Project Summary Abstract
Title: Effect of Hypercapnia Treatment on Respiratory Recovery after Spinal Cord
Injury.
Respiratory and cardiovascular complications are the most common causes of death in
the first year post-injury. Nearly 80% of patients with SCI, including Veterans, suffer from
breathing and sleep disorders after six months of injury. However, most patients with
SCI do not tolerate standard mechanical treatment leading to a lack of adherence.
Therefore, identifying other therapies is important for this common condition linked to
poor outcomes in the general population (heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and poor
cognition). In individuals with SCI, it has been reported that chemical stimulation using
acute intermittent hypoxia techniques improves ventilatory and motor recovery. The
effect of intermittent hypoxia is dependent on the level of alveolar Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
and may pose undesirable cardiovascular effects. However, the effect of hypercapnia
alone on respiratory recovery during wakefulness and sleep in patients with SCI is
unknown.
The purpose of this application is to identify new therapeutic interventions for respiratory
and sleep disorders in Veterans with SCI. This application proposes a pilot study to
enroll 30 Veterans with SCI to receive two weeks of daily acute intermittent hypercapnia
(dAIHc) treatment. There will be three specific aims to address the following hypotheses:
Specific Aim (1): Measure the recruitment rate and feasibility of a pilot intervention
using dAIHc in individuals with SCI.
Specific Aim (2): Test the hypothesis that dAIHc will increase minute ventilation and
respiratory muscle forces in individuals with SCI.
Specific Aim (3): Test the hypothesis that dAIHc will improve sleep parameters in
individuals with SCI.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10795662
- **Project number:** 5I21RX004114-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHN D DINGELL VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Abdulghani Sankari
- **Activity code:** I21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-03-01 → 2026-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10795662

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10795662, Effect of Hypercapnia Treatment on Respiratory Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury (5I21RX004114-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10795662. Licensed CC0.

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