METHODS Experimental and cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE To assess the immediate effect of exercise on heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO2), pulmonary ventilation (PV), oxygen pulse (OP), glucose and lipids of wheelchair basketball players with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS Center of Studies in Psychobiology and Exercise-São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS In all, nine wheelchair basketball players with SCI and nine able-bodied controls (C) performed three exercise sessions at different intensities: ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1), 15% below VT1 and 15% above VT1 with a duration of ~24-34 min. HR, VO2, PV, OP, glucose and lipids were analyzed. RESULTS VO2, PV and OP were significantly lower in the players with SCI compared to C during the same intensity exercise sessions. However, the individuals with SCIs demonstrated increases in HR, PV and OP at similar rates to C. Triglycerides of the SCI group were elevated 30 min after the exercise session at VT1 compared to values before the exercise session (P=0.017); this elevation was not observed in group C. For the exercise sessions 15% above VT1, only glucose (P=0.040) and low-density lipoprotein (P=0.012) 30 min after the exercise were elevated in the SCI group compared to group C. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the SCI group demonstrated increases in HR, PV and OP but not VO2 with increased intensity of exercise at similar rates as in group C.