Influência da eletroestimulação neuromuscular combinada com treino de força na performance motora e na qualidade de vida em indivíduos em tratamento hemodialítico: ensaio clínico randomizado

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Neuromuscular Electrostimulation (NMES) combined with resistance exercise on motor performance and quality of life in individuals undergoing hemodialysis treatment for Chronic Kidney Disease. A randomized clinical trial was carried out in a hospital in southern Brazil. Fifty-seven patients of both sexes were randomly assigned to an exercise electrostimulation group (EGE n=29) and an exercise group (EG n=28). The intervention lasted 8 weeks with three weekly sessions totaling 24 sessions. The EGE received a protocol of bipolar, symmetrical electrostimulation, T pulse 350 us, frequency 60 Hz, on the quadriceps muscle associated with lower limb strengthening exercises (LL) and the EG protocol with the same strengthening exercises used in the EGE. The measuring instruments for functional capacity were the 6-minute walk test, for lower limb strength, the 30x sit up and 5-repetition sit-up tests, and upper limb strength through the handgrip strength test and quality of life through the KDQOL-SF questionnaire, carried out before and after the intervention process. The study was submitted to the Research Ethics Committee of the aforementioned institution and approved under opinion number 6.282.125. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc were used to verify the effects of the intervention. A 5% two-tailed significance level was used. Forty two patients completed the intervention with a minimum attendance of 50% of the sessions, 20 in the GEE and 22 in the GE, who were included in the analysis. The results showed that after applying the protocols, both groups showed significant differences between the moments for strength and balance, but no differences between the groups. Our findings point to a similarity between the electrostimulation protocol associated with exercise and exercise alone, and the treatment time applied had no significant effects on functional capacity and quality of life, but it did on balance and lower limb strength. New EENM protocols should be tested to evaluate this alternative treatment for chronic diseases with loss of physical capacity and quality of life.