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Neuromuscular Stimulation of Quadriceps in Patients Hospitalised during an Exacerbation of COPD: A Comparison of Low (35 Hz) and High (50 Hz) Frequencies.
- Source :
- Physiotherapy Research International; Sep2013, Vol. 18 Issue 3, p148-156, 9p, 1 Color Photograph, 1 Diagram, 3 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Background Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has shown to improve skeletal muscle strength and exercise capacity in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Variations in NMES protocols are considerable. We aimed to compare changes in muscle strength after high-frequency and low-frequency NMES in patients admitted to hospital with an acute exacerbation of COPD. Methods Patients were referred for inpatient (IP) rehabilitation during hospitalisation for an acute worsening of their COPD. They received 30-minute daily NMES to both quadriceps at a frequency of 35 or 50 Hz. NMES intensity was titrated to patients' tolerance. Isometric quadriceps muscle strength and endurance walking (ESWT) time were measured at baseline and on hospital discharge. Results A total of 10 patients in each treatment group underwent NMES during hospitalisation (mean [SD] age 68.0 [±7.4] years, FEV1 0.99 L [±0.58], FEV1/FVC 47% [± 27%], MRC 5 [IQR ±1]). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between groups. Muscle strength (legs combined) increased in both groups regardless of the NMES frequency used (35 Hz - 3.8 ± 4.9; 50 Hz - 3.4 ± 5.5 kg). This was only significant within the 35 Hz group. The change in ESWT also showed a trend to increase in both groups (35 Hz - 109 ± 92.7; 50 Hz - 145.6 ± 94.7). There was no significant difference between groups for either outcome. Conclusion NMES is a feasible intervention to improve muscle strength in a cohort of patients admitted with an exacerbation of COPD. The response appears to be independent of the frequency used and both were well-tolerated. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- OBSTRUCTIVE lung disease treatment
PHYSICAL fitness
QUADRICEPS muscle physiology
ELECTRIC stimulation
ISOMETRIC exercise
ANALYSIS of variance
OBSTRUCTIVE lung diseases
MUSCLE strength
MUSCLE strength testing
HEALTH outcome assessment
RESEARCH funding
RESPIRATORY measurements
STATISTICAL sampling
T-test (Statistics)
WALKING
PILOT projects
RANDOMIZED controlled trials
TREATMENT effectiveness
PRE-tests & post-tests
VITAL capacity (Respiration)
BLIND experiment
DATA analysis software
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13582267
- Volume :
- 18
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Physiotherapy Research International
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 90055207
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/pri.1541