Daily energy expenditure and basal metabolic rates of patients with spinal cord injury.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) and daily energy expenditure were measured in 48 men with complete traumatic transections of the spinal cord. Subjects were classified according to their residual motor function as high or low quadriplegic (HQ, LQ) or as high or low paraplegic (HP, LP). Measured BMR was lower than predicted BMR in almost all of the subjects and was significantly lower in the HQ group than in the other groups. High quadriplegics also expended significantly less energy while awake and over a 24-hour period than did the other groups. Measurements of BMR and total energy expenditure were significantly correlated with the level of lesion. The data provide a basis for establishing guidelines on the average energy needs of patients with spinal cord injury.