NCT01695421

The Effect of a Five Week Electrical Myostimulation Program in Chronic Diseases

Soft-hard Technologies to Assistance and Accessibility in Patients With Chronic Diseases: The Effect of a Five Week Electrical Myostimulation Program.

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Brasilia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Patients afflicted with Chronic Heart Failure (HF) typically do not maintain stable cardiac function for the remainder of their life and consequently require continuous medical management and intermittent hospital admissions. Several investigations have demonstrated that electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) produces positive physiologic and psychological adaptations in patients with HF. However not all the EMS modalities were been evaluated on this population or not even were tested based on present recognized gold standard clinical parameters after a short period of treatment. The primary aims of the proposed study is to: Determine the effect of a five week home based of three EMS modalities on prognostics markers, perceived quality of life, muscle force and electrical activity in subjects diagnosed with HF.

Detailed description

Introduction: Chronic Heart Failure (HF) patients are a significant health care burden in many countries. Patients afflicted with HF typically do not maintain stable cardiac function for the remainder of their life and consequently require continuous medical management and intermittent hospital admissions. Several investigations have demonstrated that electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) produces positive physiologic and psychological adaptations in patients with HF. However not all the EMS modalities were been evaluated on this population or not even were tested based on present recognized gold standard clinical parameters after a short period of treatment. The impact of use of low frequency (FES) and medium-frequency currents (MAC and BMAC) as EMS on the VE/VCO2 and BNP has likewise not been investigated in patients with HF. Purposes: The primary aims of the proposed study is to: Determine the effect of a five week home based EMS modalities (a) Functional electrical stimulation (FES), (b) medium-frequency alternating current (MAC) and (c) burst-modulated medium-frequency alternating current (BMAC) training program on the VE/VCO2 slope, Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) level, peak VO2, VO2 at Ventilatory Threshold (VT), perceived quality of life, muscle force and electrical activity in subjects diagnosed with HF (NYHA III and IV). Examine changes in the previously outlined outcome measurements five weeks after cessation of the EMS ((a) FES, (b) MAC and (c) BMAC) training program. Procedures: We will recruit 40 persons (10 for each EMS modalities and 10 control subjects) diagnosed with HF. A group of control subjects will participate using a sham current. The protocol can be conceptually divided into four sections in the following chronological sequence: (1) baseline assessment (body composition by a bone densitometer X-ray Dual energy X-Ray absortometry - DXA, Resting blood pressure and heart rate, complete blood count and BNP analysis); Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ); A physician-supervised maximal aerobic exercise test using a metabolic cart (Vmax, Viasys, USA) (VO2, VE/VCO2, VT); isokinetic peak torque (Biodex System III, Isokinetic Dynamometer, Biodex Medical, Inc., Shirley, NY) and electrical activity (Miotec, Brazil), (2) five week EMS training program (bilateral quadriceps and gastrocnemius for 5 days a week for 1 hour to each muscle group with FES, MAC and BMAC training program), (3) immediate post-training assessment within 5 days of completion of the EMS training program and a (4) final analysis five weeks after cessation of the EMS training program.

Conditions

• Heart Failure

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Medium-frequency alternating current	The subjects will receive stimulation to quadriceps and gastrocnemius for 5 days a week for 1 hour during 5 weeks. Electrical stimulation will be delivered through channel one with one electrode placed over the vastus medialis and the second electrode placed medial and distal to the greater trochanter. The channel two will be place on the gastrocnemius with one electrode positioned over the muscle belly and the second over the musculotendinous junction. The stimulus will be on for 10 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period at the first two weeks. Subsequently, the EMS stimulus will be on for 15 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period. The intensity will be turned up to the maximal tolerable intensity as reported by the subject (10-100 mA) observing muscular contraction.
PROCEDURE	Burst-modulated alternating current	The subjects will receive stimulation to quadriceps and gastrocnemius for 5 days a week for 1 hour during 5 weeks. Electrical stimulation will be delivered through channel one with one electrode placed over the vastus medialis and the second electrode placed medial and distal to the greater trochanter. The channel two will be place on the gastrocnemius with one electrode positioned over the muscle belly and the second over the musculotendinous junction. The stimulus will be on for 10 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period at the first two weeks. Subsequently, the EMS stimulus will be on for 15 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period. The intensity will be turned up to the maximal tolerable intensity as reported by the subject (10-100 mA) observing muscular contraction.
PROCEDURE	Placebo	The subjects will receive stimulation to quadriceps and gastrocnemius for 5 days a week for 1 hour during 5 weeks. Electrical stimulation will be delivered through channel one with one electrode placed over the vastus medialis and the second electrode placed medial and distal to the greater trochanter. The channel two will be place on the gastrocnemius with one electrode positioned over the muscle belly and the second over the musculotendinous junction. The stimulus will be on for 10 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period at the first two weeks. Subsequently, the EMS stimulus will be on for 15 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period. The intensity will be fixed on 5 mA.
PROCEDURE	Functional electrical stimulation	The subjects will receive stimulation to quadriceps and gastrocnemius for 5 days a week for 1 hour during 5 weeks. Electrical stimulation will be delivered through channel one with one electrode placed over the vastus medialis and the second electrode placed medial and distal to the greater trochanter. The channel two will be place on the gastrocnemius with one electrode positioned over the muscle belly and the second over the musculotendinous junction. The stimulus will be on for 10 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period at the first two weeks. Subsequently, the EMS stimulus will be on for 15 seconds followed by a 30 second relaxation period. The intensity will be turned up to the maximal tolerable intensity as reported by the subject (10-100 mA) observing muscular contraction

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-11-01
• Primary completion: 2013-07-01
• Completion: 2015-07-01
• First posted: 2012-09-28
• Last updated: 2013-06-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Brazil