Short-term intradialytic NMES targeting muscles of the legs improves the phase angle: A pilot randomized clinical trial
Abstract
PURPOSE
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) elicits muscle contraction and has been shown to attenuate muscle atrophy when physical activity is not possible. Thus, we hypothesized that intradialytic NMES would attenuate the loss leg lean mass and improve the phase angle in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).
METHODS
A randomized controlled trial was performed with twenty-one adult HD patients (n = 8 F, n = 13 M; 45.8 ± 10.6 y) randomly assigned to usual care (control group, n = 11; 4F/7M) or to the NMES group (n = 10; 4F/6M). NMES was applied bilaterally at the origin and insertion points of the quadriceps or gastrocnemius muscles for 40 min during each HD session (3x/wk for one month). Pre-and post-intervention, we measured leg lean mass using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and phase angle using bioelectrical impedance analysis.
RESULTS
NMES did not change leg lean mass compared to the control group. Phase angle increased in the NMES compared to the control group (Δ: +0.71 ± 0.27° vs. -0.46 ± 0.23°, p = 0.004) with interaction time x treatment (ANOVA p = 0.004).
CONCLUSION
Short-term intradialytic NMES targeting muscles of the legs improved the phase angle but did not change leg lean mass.
BRAZILIAN REGISTRY OF CLINICAL TRIALS UNDER THE CODE
RBR-98wzgn.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 13 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Chaos and quantum thermalization
- The Dalton quantum chemistry program system
- Cord Blood Leptin and Adiponectin as Predictors of Adiposity in Children at 3 Years of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study
- Quantitative metabolomics by H-NMR and LC-MS/MS confirms altered metabolic pathways in diabetes
- Stable adiabatic quantum batteries
- A novel self-lipid antigen targets human T cells against CD1c(+) leukemias
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.