Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28801415›Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2017

Randomised feasibility trial into the effects of low-frequency electrical muscle stimulation in advanced heart failure patients.

Stuart Ennis, Gordon McGregor, Thomas Hamborg, Helen Jones, Robert Shave, Sally J Singh, Prithwish Banerjee

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06295276 (Does a Teletherapy-guided Exercise Programme Improve Pain Intensity, Disability, and Quality of Life in Nursing Students With Back and Neck Pain Compared to a Control Group?), which is not on this map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 32% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06295276 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Does a Teletherapy-guided Exercise Programme Improve Pain Intensity, Disability, and Quality of Life in Nursing Students With Back and Neck Pain Compared to a Control Group?

TypeinterventionalSponsorHochschule OsnabruckRan2024 to 2024Enrolled48ConditionsLow Back Pain, Neck PainArmsteletherapy-guided exercise programme, Waiting list/control intervention/delayed teletherapy intervention
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Stuart EnnisDepartment of Cardiac Rehabilitation, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7176-6252
Gordon McGregorDepartment of Cardiac Rehabilitation, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK.
Thomas HamborgClinical Trials Unit, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Helen JonesSport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
Robert ShaveSchool of Sport, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK.
Sally J SinghCentre for Applied Biological and Exercise Sciences & Centre for Technology Enabled Health Research, University of Coventry, Coventry, UK.
Prithwish BanerjeeDepartment of Cardiac Rehabilitation, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK.
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust · GBCardiff Metropolitan University · GBLiverpool John Moores University · GBUniversity Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust · GBUniversity of Warwick · GB

Funding

Department of Health PB-PG-0212-27079
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesLow-frequency electrical muscle stimulation (LF-EMS) may have the potential to reduce breathlessness and increase exercise capacity in the chronic heart failure population who struggle to adhere to conventional exercise. The study's aim was to establish if a randomised controlled trial of LF-EMS was feasible. DESIGN AND

settingDouble blind (participants, outcome assessors), randomised study in a secondary care outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme.

participantsPatients with severe heart failure (New York Heart Association class III-IV) having left ventricular ejection fraction <40% documented by echocardiography were eligible.

interventionsParticipants were randomised (remotely by computer) to 8 weeks (5×60 mins per week) of either LF-EMS intervention (4 Hz, continuous, n=30) or sham placebo (skin level stimulation only, n=30) of the quadriceps and hamstrings muscles. Participants used the LF-EMS straps at home and were supervised weekly OUTCOME MEASURES: Recruitment, adherence and tolerability to the intervention were measured during the trial as well as physiological outcomes (primary outcome: 6 min walk, secondary outcomes: quadriceps strength, quality of life and physical activity).

resultsSixty of 171 eligible participants (35.08%) were recruited to the trial. 12 (20%) of the 60 patients (4 LF-EMS and 8 sham) withdrew. Forty-one patients (68.3%), adhered to the protocol for at least 70% of the sessions. The physiological measures indicated no significant differences between groups in 6 min walk distance(p=0.13) and quality of life (p=0.55) although both outcomes improved more with LF-EMS.

conclusionPatients with severe heart failure can be recruited to and tolerate LF-EMS studies. A larger randomised controlled trial (RCT) in the advanced heart failure population is technically feasible, although adherence to follow-up would be challenging. The preliminary improvements in exercise capacity and quality of life were minimal and this should be considered if planning a larger trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN16749049.

Indexed as

Electric Stimulation TherapyAgedAged, 80 and overChronic DiseaseDouble-Blind MethodDyspneaEchocardiographyExerciseFeasibility StudiesFemaleHamstring MusclesHeart FailureHumansIsometric ContractionMaleMiddle Agedadvanced heart failurecardiac rehabilitationelectrical muscle stimulationfeasibilityneuromuscular electrical stimulation

Identifiers

PMID28801415
PMCPMC5629639
OpenAlexW2745282336

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.