Home-based neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves exercise tolerance and health-related quality of life in patients with COPD

Abstract

Background

This retrospective, observational study of a routine clinical practice reports the feasibility and efficiency of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), including transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or usual endurance physical exercise (UEPE), on exercise tolerance, anxiety/depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with COPD.

Methods

Seventy-one patients with COPD participated in home-based PR with NMES (Group NMES [G _NMES]), while 117 patients participated in home-based PR with the UEPEs (Group UEPE [G _UEPE]). NMES was applied for 30 minutes twice a day, every day. The endurance exercises in G _UEPE began with a minimum 10-minute session at least 5 days a week, with the goal being 30–45 minutes per session. Three upper and lower limb muscle strengthening exercises lasting 10–15 minutes were also proposed to both the groups for daily practice. Moreover, PR in both the groups included a weekly 90-minute session based on an educational needs assessment. The sessions comprised endurance physical exercise for G _UEPE, NMES for G _NMES, resumption of physical daily living activities, therapeutic patient education, and psychosocial support to facilitate health behavior changes. Before and after PR, functional mobility and physical exercise capacity, anxiety, depression, and HRQoL were evaluated at home.

Results

The study revealed that NMES significantly improved functional mobility (−18.8% in GNMES and −20.6% in G _UEPE), exercise capacity (+20.8% in G _NMES and +21.8% in G _UEPE), depression (−15.8% in G _NMES and −30.1% in G _UEPE), and overall HRQoL (−7.0% in G _NMES and −18.5% in G _UEPE) in the patients with COPD, regardless of the group (G _NMES or G _UEPE) or severity of airflow obstruction. Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the groups with respect to these data ( P>0.05).

Conclusion

Home-based PR including self-monitored NMES seems feasible and effective for severely disabled COPD patients with severe exercise intolerance.

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis

Journal ID (publisher-id): International Journal of COPD

Title: International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Publisher: Dove Medical Press

ISSN (Print): 1176-9106

ISSN (Electronic): 1178-2005

Publication date Collection: 2016

Publication date (Electronic): 03 June 2016

Volume: 11

Pages: 1189-1197

Affiliations

[1 ]Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Rouen, CETAPS, EA 3832, Mont Saint Aignan, Beuvry, France

[2 ]Service de Pneumologie, Centre Hospitalier de Béthune, Beuvry, France

[3 ]Formaction Santé, Perenchies, France

[4 ]Service de Pneumologie et Immunoallergologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Hôpital Calmette, Université de Lille 2, France

Author notes

Correspondence: Jérémy B Coquart, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’Education Physique, CETAPS, Boulevard Siegfried, 76821 Mont Saint Aignan Cedex, France, Tel [phone], Email jeremy.coquart@ 123456univ-rouen.fr

Article

Publisher ID: copd-11-1189

DOI: 10.2147/COPD.S105049

PMC ID: 4902151

PubMed ID: 27350745

Copyright statement: © 2016 Coquart et al. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited

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Categories

Subject: Original Research