Locomotor impaired (LI) individuals have higher atherogenic cardiovascular disease risk (ACDR) than able-bodied population, because of an altered lipid profile mainly due to their increased sedentary habit. The present study, carried out on a population of LI Paralympic athletes (LI-PA) who competed in the last summer Games (Beijing, 2008), was aimed at evaluating the hypothesis that aerobic fitness protects from ACDR.

A total of 44 male LI-PA (38±10.1 years old): 26 with spinal cord injury, 6 with amputation, 3 with cerebral palsy, 4 poliomyelitis and 5 with other neurological disorders were screened (anthropometric and clinical measurements and laboratory tests) and functionally evaluated (incremental maximal arm cranking exercise test) to estimate their ACDR and aerobic fitness (VO_2peak), respectively. An ACDR score was assessed summing 1 point for each of the following risk factors: obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose and subtracting 1 point when serum HDL cholesterol was higher than 60 mg•dl-1. Based on the ACDR score 3 groups were formed: group 1 with low ACDR (score<=1); group 2 with moderate ACDR (score=2); group 3 with high ACDR (score>=3).

Group 1 (28 LI-PA), group 2 (8 LI-PA) and group 3 (8 LI-PA) had significantly different VO_2peak values respectively equal to 34.8±7.76, 25.6±7.52 and 18.8±4.26 ml•kg-1•min-1 (p<0.05).

VO2peak is inversely related to ACDR. High aerobic fitness provides a protective effect on ACDR in LI-PA.