title: Effects of neuromuscular electrostimulation in patients with heart failure admitted to ward.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuromuscular electrostimulation has become a promising issue in cardiovascular rehabilitation. However there are few articles published in the literature regarding neuromuscular electrostimulation in patients with heart failure during hospital stay.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a randomized controlled pilot trial that aimed to investigate the effect of neuromuscular electrostimulation in the walked distance by the six-minute walking test in 30 patients admitted to ward for heart failure treatment in a tertiary cardiology hospital. Patients in the intervention group performed a conventional rehabilitation and neuromuscular electrostimulation. Patients underwent 60 minutes of electrostimulation (wave frequency was 20 Hz, pulse duration of 20 us) two times a day for consecutive days until hospital discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The walked distance in the six-minute walking test improved 75% in the electrostimulation group (from 379.7 ± 43.5 to 372.9 ± 46.9 meters to controls and from 372.9 ± 62.4 to 500 ± 68 meters to electrostimulation, p<0.001). On the other hand, the walked distance in the control group did not change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The neuromuscular electrostimulation group showed greater improvement in the walked distance in the six-minute walking test in patients admitted to ward for compensation of heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Ana Neri, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Avenida Saldanha Marinho s/n, Salvador Bahia, CEP:40320-010, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos José Soares
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.forename: Fernanda Souza
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Hugo Souza
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.forename: Noélia Gonçalves
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Sérgio Vitor
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Mecca Junior
authors.forename: Júlio Leal Bandeira
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.forename: André Maurício Souza
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Roque
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aras Junior
authors.forename: Francisco José Farias Borges
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: dos Reis
authors.forename: Armênio Costa
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Erenaldo de Souza
authors.initials: Ede S
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Junior
authors.forename: Vitor Oliveira
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology