Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Reduces Muscle Atrophy in Severe COPD
Posted May 20 2010 10:22am
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of the lower limbs reduced muscle atrophy in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and improved symptoms of their disease, Canadian investigators reported here at the American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference.
“NMES improved muscle mass, and this was positively correlated with changes in the levels of proteins involved in the muscle signaling pathway,” said Isabelle Vivodtzev, PhD, a postdoctoral student at l’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, in Québec City
Muscle wasting is common in patients with severe COPD, and there is no effective treatment other than general physical reconditioning. Up to one third of patients with COPD who undertake exercise training do not show the expected gain in functional status or muscle function, she said.
“We know that electrical stimulation can increase muscle strength and functional capacity. We wondered if we could improve muscle mass with stimulation in COPD patients who are very deconditioned, and by which mechanisms this could happen,” she said.
read the rest of this article in Medscape News -click here
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of the lower limbs reduced muscle atrophy in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and improved symptoms of their disease, Canadian investigators reported here at the American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference.
“NMES improved muscle mass, and this was positively correlated with changes in the levels of proteins involved in the muscle signaling pathway,” said Isabelle Vivodtzev, PhD, a postdoctoral student at l’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, in Québec City
Muscle wasting is common in patients with severe COPD, and there is no effective treatment other than general physical reconditioning. Up to one third of patients with COPD who undertake exercise training do not show the expected gain in functional status or muscle function, she said.
“We know that electrical stimulation can increase muscle strength and functional capacity. We wondered if we could improve muscle mass with stimulation in COPD patients who are very deconditioned, and by which mechanisms this could happen,” she said.
read the rest of this article in Medscape News - click here