title: Low-frequency electrical stimulation increases muscle strength and improves blood supply in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to evaluate the effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation (LFES) on muscle strength and blood flow in patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with CHF (n=15; age 56.5 +/- 5.2 years; New York Heart Association III - IV; ejection fraction 18.7 +/- 3.3%) were examined before and after 6 weeks of LFES (10 Hz) of the quadriceps and calf muscles of both legs (1 h/day, 7 days/week). Dynamometry was performed weekly to determine maximal muscle strength (F(max); N) and isokinetic peak torque (PT(max); Nm); blood flow velocity (BFV) was measured at baseline and after 6 weeks of LFES using pulsed-wave Doppler velocimetry of the right femoral artery. Six weeks of LFES significantly increased F(max) (from 224.5 +/- 96.8 N to 340.0 +/- 99.4 N; p<0.001), and also PT(max) (from 94.5 +/- 41.5 Nm to 135.3 +/- 28.8 Nm; p<0.01). BFV in the femoral artery increased after 6 weeks from 35.7 +/- 15.4 cm/s to 48.2 +/- 18.1 cm/s (p<0.05); BFV values at rest before and after 6 weeks of LFES did not differ significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LFES may improve muscle strength and blood supply, and could be recommended for the treatment of patients with severe CHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Diagnostics and Rehabilitation.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dobsák
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nováková
authors.forename: Jarmila
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siegelová
authors.forename: Bohumil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fiser
authors.forename: Jirí
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vítovec
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagasaka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohzuki
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yambe
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Eicher
authors.forename: Jean-Eric
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Kou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imachi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D033081:Shear Strength; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein