Improved Walking Claudication Distance with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation: An Old Treatment with a New Indication in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine if 45 minutes of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation before exercise could delay pain onset and increase walking distance in peripheral artery disease patients.
Results Summary
Total walking distance significantly differed between stimulation conditions (10 Hz, 80 Hz, sham, and control), with 10 Hz being the most effective. No differences were observed in heart rate or blood pressure across conditions.
Population
15 patients with class II peripheral artery disease
Effective Dosage
45 minutes of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (10 Hz or 80 Hz)
Duration
Four exercise sessions (one per condition)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
45 mins of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation before exercise | decrease | pain onset | peripheral artery disease patients | - | could delay pain onset | #1 |
45 mins of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation before exercise | increase | walking distance | peripheral artery disease patients | - | increase walking distance | #2 |
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation | increase | total walking distance | peripheral artery disease patients | - | was significantly different | #3 |
T10 | increase | total walking distance | peripheral artery disease patients | - | was different from sham | #4 |
T10 | increase | total walking distance | peripheral artery disease patients | - | was different from control | #5 |
T10 | no change | total walking distance | peripheral artery disease patients | - | was no different from T80 | #6 |
sham | increase | total walking distance | peripheral artery disease patients | - | was different from control | #7 |
T80 | increase | total walking distance | peripheral artery disease patients | - | was different from control | #8 |
each condition | no change | heart rate | peripheral artery disease patients | - | no difference | #9 |
each condition | no change | blood pressure | peripheral artery disease patients | - | no difference | #10 |
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation immediately before walking | decrease | pain onset | patients with class II peripheral artery disease | - | can delay pain onset | #11 |
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation immediately before walking | increase | walking distance | patients with class II peripheral artery disease | - | increase walking distance | #12 |
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of 10 Hz | neutral | - | patients with class II peripheral artery disease | - | being the most effective | #13 |
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether 45 mins of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation before exercise could delay pain onset and increase walking distance in peripheral artery disease patients. DESIGN: After a baseline assessment of the walking velocity that led to pain after 300 m, 15 peripheral artery disease patients underwent four exercise sessions in a random order. The patients had a 45-min transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation session with different experimental conditions: 80 Hz, 10 Hz, sham (presence of electrodes without stimulation), or control with no electrodes, immediately followed by five walking bouts on a treadmill until pain occurred. The patients were allowed to rest for 10 mins between each bout and had no feedback concerning the walking distance achieved. RESULTS: Total walking distance was significantly different between T10, T80, sham, and control (P < 0.0003). No difference was observed between T10 and T80, but T10 was different from sham and control. Sham, T10, and T80 were all different from control (P < 0.001). There was no difference between each condition for heart rate and blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation immediately before walking can delay pain onset and increase walking distance in patients with class II peripheral artery disease, with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of 10 Hz being the most effective.