Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39972246›Full record

Trial reportBMC nephrology2025

Effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation during hemodialysis on muscle strength, functional capacity and postural balance in patients with end-stage renal disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Amal Machfer, Nadia Fekih, Achraf Ammar, Hayfa Ben Haj Hassen, Wael Daab, Hassen Ibn Hadj Amor, Mohamed Amine Bouzid, Hamdi Chtourou

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC nephrology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07272070 (The Effect of Home-Based Walking on Symptoms and Health Profile of Hemodialysis Patients), which is not on this map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT07272070 naactive not recruitingnot on this map

The Effect of Home-Based Walking on Symptoms and Health Profile of Hemodialysis Patients:Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorFigen AkayRan2025 to 2026Enrolled24ConditionsMuscle Cramp, Hemodialysis, Vibration, StretchingArmsGroup A (Home-based walking), Group B (Usual hemodialysis care )
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Blood Flow Restriction Training in Hemodialysis Patients: Clinical Benefits, Challenges, and Future Perspectives.Hemodialysis international. International Symposium on Home Hemodialysis · 2026
    Review
  7. Observational
  8. Article
  9. Personalized Exercise Prescription for Hemodialysis Patients: The Implications of Blood Flow Restriction.Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN · 2025
    Article
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

8 authors.

Amal MachferResearch Laboratory: Education, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sfax, Sport et Santé, EM2S, LR19JS01, Motricité, Tunisia.
Nadia FekihResearch Laboratory: Education, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sfax, Sport et Santé, EM2S, LR19JS01, Motricité, Tunisia.
Achraf AmmarDepartment of Training and Movement Science, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55099, Mainz, Germany. acammar@uni-mainz.de.
Hayfa Ben Haj HassenResearch Laboratory: Education, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sfax, Sport et Santé, EM2S, LR19JS01, Motricité, Tunisia.
Wael DaabCollege of Sport Science, University of Kalba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Hassen Ibn Hadj AmorDepartment of Cardiology, Tahar Sfar Hospital, Mahdia, Tunisia.
Mohamed Amine BouzidResearch Laboratory: Education, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sfax, Sport et Santé, EM2S, LR19JS01, Motricité, Tunisia.
Hamdi ChtourouActivité Physique, Sport et Santé, UR18JS01, Observatoire National du Sport, Tunis, 1003, Tunisia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHemodialysis patients (HD) have a limited physical capacity and this often means low adherence to rehabilitation programs based on conventional exercise. This study investigated the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) during HD therapy on muscle strength, functional capacity and postural balance in HD patients.

methodsTwenty-two HD patients were randomly assigned to a control group (CG) or a neuromuscular electrical stimulation training group (NSTG). The NSTG underwent NMES on the quadriceps muscle during HD sessions for 12 weeks, three times per week (40 min per session. Center of pressure (COP) displacement in the mediolateral direction (COPx), in the anteroposterior direction (COPy), and the COP area (COP area) were recorded using a stabilometric platform. Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and Sit to Stand (STS30) tests, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), and the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) were measured before and after the intervention in both groups.

resultsThere was a significant increase in MVC (+ 24.5%; P < 0.01), 6MWT (+ 9.8%; P < 0.05) and STS30 (+ 25.6%; P < 0.01) performance in the NSTG following the NMES intervention period. A significant reduction was observed in TUG (-11.8%; P < 0.01), COPx(-20.1%; P < 0.05) and COPy (-24.7%; P < 0.01) following the intervention period only in the NSTG. However, no significant changes were observed in the CG following the intervention period.

conclusionThis study supports the effectiveness of intradialytic NMES to improve muscular strength, functional capacity and postural balance in HD patients. Given the limited implementation of exercise programs in dialysis clinical practice, NMES during HD sessions offers a novel therapeutic alternative to enhance physical condition and quality of life in these patients.

trial registrationPan African Clinical Trial Registry Identifer: PACTR202206634181851 Registered on 21/06/2022. Registered trial name: Beneficial Effect of Intradialytic Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Hemodialysis Patients.

Indexed as

Electric Stimulation TherapyKidney Failure, ChronicMuscle StrengthPostural BalanceRenal DialysisAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuadriceps MuscleChronic kidney diseaseElectric stimulation therapyHemodialysis

Identifiers

PMID39972246
PMCPMC11837610

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.