Discussion
paraplegia
COLD, PARAPLEGIA
The principal finding of the present study is the presence of a vasodilatory response in the fingers and toes of participants with paraplegia during immersion of the hands and feet in cold water; a response that is defined as a CIVD in able-bodied individuals. The elevations in the digit skin temperature undoubtedly reflect intermittently restored blood flow, but the nature of these responses—namely the frequency of their occurrence, magnitude, and duration—was different between the two groups. Should the origins of the digit skin temperature fluctuations during cold water immersion not be of the same origin in paraplegics as in able-bodied individuals, then the original premise of our study is compromised. Should the nature of the skin temperature fluctuations be similar, then the data could provide insight regarding the origin of the CIVD response, namely whether it is central or peripheral.