Muscle electrical stimulation improves neurovascular control and exercise tolerance in hospitalised advanced heart failure patients

Autor(es)

Groehs, Raphaela V. ; Antunes-Correa, Ligia M. ; Nobre, Thais S. ; Alves, Maria-Janieire N. N. ; Rondon, Maria Urbana P. B. ; Pereira Barreto, Antonio Carlos ; Negrao, Carlos E.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY; v. 23, n. 15, p. 1599-1608, OCT 2016.
• Citações Web of Science: 7

Resumo

Background We investigated the effects of muscle functional electrical stimulation on muscle sympathetic nerve activity and muscle blood flow, and, in addition, exercise tolerance in hospitalised patients for stabilisation of heart failure. Methods Thirty patients hospitalised for treatment of decompensated heart failure, class IV New York Heart Association and ejection fraction30% were consecutively randomly assigned into two groups: functional electrical stimulation (n=15; 542 years) and control (n=15; 492 years). Muscle sympathetic nerve activity was directly recorded via microneurography and blood flow by venous occlusion plethysmography. Heart rate and blood pressure were evaluated on a beat-to-beat basis (Finometer), exercise tolerance by 6-minute walk test, quadriceps muscle strength by a dynamometer and quality of life by Minnesota questionnaire. Functional electrical stimulation consisted of stimulating the lower limbs at 10Hz frequency, 150ms pulse width and 70 mA intensity for 60minutes/day for 8-10 consecutive days. The control group underwent electrical stimulation at an intensity of<20 mA. Results Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, except age that was higher and C-reactive protein and forearm blood flow that were smaller in the functional electrical stimulation group. Functional electrical stimulation significantly decreased muscle sympathetic nerve activity and increased muscle blood flow and muscle strength. No changes were found in the control group. Walking distance and quality of life increased in both groups. However, these changes were greater in the functional electrical stimulation group. Conclusion Functional electrical stimulation improves muscle sympathetic nerve activity and vasoconstriction and increases exercise tolerance, muscle strength and quality of life in hospitalised heart failure patients. These findings suggest that functional electrical stimulation may be useful to hospitalised patients with decompensated chronic heart failure. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/15651-7 - Efeitos do Treinamento Físico Aeróbio Associado ao Treinamento Muscular Inspiratório na Miopatia Esquelética em Pacientes com Insuficiência Cardíaca
• Beneficiário: Lígia de Moraes Antunes Corrêa
• Linha de fomento: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 10/50048-1 - Bases celulares e funcionais do exercício físico na doença cardiovascular
• Beneficiário: Carlos Eduardo Negrão
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático