Total body water and its distribution in men with spinal cord injury.

During the first months after spinal cord injury there is a drastic loss in body weight. Total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) were determined in 12 normal healthy men, in 22 paraplegic men and in 23 quadriplegic men. TBW was decreased in both groups of patients, paralleling the loss in body weight, though not totally accounting for the weight loss. ECW was decreased in absolute terms but increased in relation to body weight and height. The amount of intracellular water, obtained by subtracting ECW from TBW, was decreased. This study provides a quantitative estimation of the reduction in body cell mass following spinal cord injury and reveals an expansion of the extracellular space. The mechanism and functional significance of this expansion are not clear at this time.