Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a short-term neuromuscular electrical
stimulation program on exercise tolerance in hospitalized patients with advanced
heart failure who have suffered an acute decompensation and are under continuous
intravenous inotropic support. DESIGN: A randomized controlled study. SUBJECTS:
Initially, 195 patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure were
recruited, but 70 were randomized. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized into
two groups: control group subject to the usual care ( n = 35); neuromuscular
electrical stimulation group ( n = 35) received daily training sessions to both
lower extremities for around two weeks. MAIN MEASURES: The baseline 6-minute walk
test to determine functional capacity was performed 24 hours after hospital
admission, and intravenous inotropic support dose was daily checked in all
patients. The outcomes were measured in two weeks or at the discharge if the
patients were sent back home earlier than two weeks. RESULTS: After losses of
follow-up, a total of 49 patients were included and considered for final analysis
(control group, n = 25 and neuromuscular electrical stimulation group, n = 24).
The neuromuscular electrical stimulation group presented with a higher 6-minute
walk test distance compared to the control group after the study protocol (293
+/- 34.78 m vs. 265.8 +/- 48.53 m, P < 0.001, respectively). Neuromuscular
electrical stimulation group also demonstrated a significantly higher dose
reduction of dobutamine compared to control group after the study protocol (2.72
+/- 1.72 microg/kg/min vs. 3.86 +/- 1.61 microg/kg/min, P = 0.001, respectively).
CONCLUSION: A short-term inpatient neuromuscular electrical stimulation
rehabilitation protocol improved exercise tolerance and reduced intravenous
inotropic support necessity in patients with advanced heart failure suffering a
decompensation episode.

Langue : ANGLAIS