Altern Ther Health Med. 2024 Jun;30(6):6-15.
Asthma incidence in the older people also increases as the number of individuals over the age of 65 increases in society. The goals of asthma management include restoring expected levels of physical activity and preserving muscle mass as well as preventing symptoms and improving pulmonary function. A limited number of studies have explored the effects of superimposed neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the quadriceps muscle for older patients with asthma.
The study intended to investigate the effects of adding superimposed NMES to a conventional physiotherapy and rehabilitation (PTR) program for older patients with asthma.
The research team performed a blinded, randomized controlled trial.
The study took place at the Kadikoy Municipality Social Life Center.
Participants were 24 people with mild, persistent, stable asthma diagnosis.
The research team randomly divided participants into two groups: (1) an intervention group, the NMES + PTR group with 12 participants and a control group, the PTR group with 12 participants. All participants took part in a PTR program, which consisted of a conventional exercise program. Additionally, the NMES + PTR group received NMES applied to quadriceps muscle with a superimposed technique.
At baseline, at four weeks, and postintervention, the research team assessed participants': (1) endurance of the quadriceps using the Sit to Stand Test (SST); (2) the muscle's strength using surface electromyography (sEMG) and a myometer; (3) functional exercise capacity using the Six-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), (4) quality of life (QoL) using the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQOL); (5) dyspnea using the Modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnea scale; and (6) pulmonary functions using spirometry.
Postintervention, the NMES + PTR group's scores for the sit-to-stand test (P = .001), the right quadricep's sEMG active (P = .00), the right sEMG resistance (P = .00), the right myometer (P = .00), the left quadricep's sEMG active (P = .00), the left sEMG resistance (P = .00), the left myometer (P = .00), the 6MWT (P = .00), and the AQOL (P = .001) were significantly higher and on the MMRC (P = .00) were significantly lower than those of the PTR group.
The addition of superimposed NMES to a recommended PTR program was an effective method of improving the quadricep muscle's endurance and strength, functional exercise capacity, and health-related QoL as well as decreasing dyspnea for older patients with mild persistent asthma.
随着社会中老年人口的增加，老年人的哮喘发病率也在增加。哮喘管理的目标包括恢复预期的身体活动水平和保持肌肉质量，预防症状和改善肺功能。已有少量研究探讨了叠加神经肌肉电刺激（NMES）对哮喘老年患者股四头肌的影响。
本研究旨在探讨在哮喘老年患者的常规物理治疗和康复（PTR）方案中加入叠加 NMES 的效果。
研究团队进行了一项盲法、随机对照试验。
位于卡迪科伊市社会生活中心。
参与者为 24 名轻度、持续、稳定的哮喘诊断患者。
研究团队将参与者随机分为两组：（1）干预组，即 NMES+PTR 组，有 12 名参与者；对照组，即 PTR 组，有 12 名参与者。所有参与者均参加了 PTR 方案，其中包括常规运动方案。此外，NMES+PTR 组还接受了叠加技术的 NMES 应用于股四头肌。
在基线、四周后和干预后，研究团队评估了参与者的：（1）使用坐立测试（SST）评估股四头肌的耐力；（2）使用表面肌电图（sEMG）和测力计评估肌肉力量；（3）使用六分钟步行测试（6MWT）评估功能性运动能力；（4）使用哮喘生活质量问卷（AQOL）评估生活质量（QoL）；（5）使用改良的医学研究委员会（MMRC）呼吸困难量表评估呼吸困难；（6）使用肺活量计评估肺功能。
干预后，NMES+PTR 组的坐立测试评分（P=.001）、右侧股四头肌的 sEMG 主动（P=.00）、右侧 sEMG 阻力（P=.00）、右侧测力计（P=.00）、左侧股四头肌的 sEMG 主动（P=.00）、左侧 sEMG 阻力（P=.00）、左侧测力计（P=.00）、6MWT（P=.00）和 AQOL（P=.001）显著提高，而 MMRC（P=.00）显著降低。
在推荐的 PTR 方案中加入叠加 NMES 是一种有效方法，可提高哮喘老年患者股四头肌耐力和力量、功能性运动能力和健康相关 QoL，并减轻轻度持续性哮喘患者的呼吸困难。
