Cardiovascular disease-related morbidity in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs
earlier in life, at a greater prevalence than that of the general population, and is the
primary cause of death after the first year of injury. During the chronic phase of SCI, a
characteristic dyslipidemia emerges, which is characterized by low serum high density
lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations, with values often qualifying to be an
independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, and elevations in serum triglycerides
(TG). Serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in those with SCI are usually
similar to those of the general population. The current proposal in persons with SCI aims to
determine the safety and efficacy of short-term fenofibrate treatment, an anti-lipid
medication whose primary action lowers serum TG and raises serum HDL-C levels.