Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2014, 158(1):098-106 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2012.096

Exercise training combined with electromyostimulation in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic heart failure: A randomized trial

Vladimir Soska^a, Petr Dobsak^b, Michal Pohanka^b, Lenka Spinarova^c, Jiri Vitovec^c, Jan Krejci^c, Petr Hude^c, Pavel Homolka^b, Marie Novakova^d, Jean-Christophe Eicher^e, Jean-Eric Wolf^e, Ladislav Dusek^f, Jarmila Siegelova^b

^a Department of Clinical Biochemistry, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

^b Department of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Masaryk University, Brno

^c 1^st Department of Internal Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Masaryk University, Brno

^d Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno

^e Department of Cardiology II, Hospital du Bocage and University of Burgundy, Dijon, France

^f Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno

Aim: Both aerobic training (AT) and electromyostimulation (EMS) of leg muscles improve exercise tolerance in patients suffering from chronic heart failure (CHF). It was speculated that combination of both methods might have an additive effect. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of a combination of AT and EMS in rehabilitation (RHB) of CHF patients.

Patients and Methods: Patients (n=71; age 59±10.2 yrs, NYHA II/III, EF 32±7.1%) were randomized into 3 groups: a) group AT, b) group EMS, and c) group AT+EMS. AT protocol included standard activity on bicycle 3x a week at the level of individual anaerobic threshold. EMS (10Hz, mode 20s "on"/20s "off") was applied to leg extensors for 2 h/day. Total time of given type of RHB was 12 weeks.

Results: Data analysis revealed statistically significant improvements of patients in all experimental groups (averaged difference after 12 weeks of exercise as related to initial value: ∆VO_2peak: +12.9%, ∆VO_2AT: +9.3%, ∆W_peak: +22.7%). No statistically significant difference among experimental groups was found. Quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure - MLHF) global score was significantly improved in all 3 groups: AT (∆MLHF: -27.9%; P=0.001), AT+EMS (∆MLHF: -29.1%; P=0.002), and EMS (∆MLHF: -16.6%; P=0.008). MLHF score in EMS group showed the smallest time-related improvement compared to AT and AT+EMS groups, and this difference in improvement between the groups was statistically significant (P=0.021).

Conclusion: No significant difference was found between the two types of exercise training.and nor did, their combination have any significant additional improvement.

Keywords: exercise, electromyostimulation, heart failure, quality of life, combined training

Received: February 27, 2012; Accepted: October 11, 2012; Prepublished online: November 1, 2012; Published: April 1, 2014  Show citation