The effects of transcutaneous electrostimulation in patients in the intensive care unit

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Acquired muscle weakness in prolonged hospitalizations is common in approximately 50 -80% of hospitalized patients where all present electrophysiological evidence of neuromuscular dysfunction. Mobilization and early rehabilitation have been shown to improve functional results and quality of life and in this context, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMS) has positive evidences aiding in the preservation of protein synthesis and in the prevention of muscle atrophy during the immobilization period. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the benefits of electrostimulation in patients in the intensive care unit. METHODOLOGY: To carry out this review a search was performed in the following databases: SciELO, Medline, Lilacs, PEDro, PubMed and Cochrane, in the period from June to December 2018. 106 articles were found and 99 were excluded because they were not in accordance with our descriptors. In the end, 7 articles fit the criteria for the final analysis. The studies were selected first by the title, abstracts and methodologies. The criteria for inclusion of the studies were: comparator (es): NMS parameters used, muscle strength and therapy time per session, individuals over 18 years old, male and female, requiring invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 24 hours. Studies: Clinical trials, cross-sectional cohort, longitudinal cohort with this theme. No case studies, Systematic review articles, congress summaries on the subject, studies outside the chosen time interval, and other early mobilization techniques were selected. RESULTS: The total number of participants included in the studies was 594 adults, 323 in experimental groups and 271 in control groups, and all studies investigated the effects of NMS in critical patients. The studies were in adults with diverse diagnoses, there was great variability between the NMS protocols, number and time of session performed.CONCLUSION: The NMS has significant results in the increase of muscle strength, Improves functional independence, shortens hospital admission time, shortens time for invasive mechanical ventilation and lower levels of sedation. However, there is still a need for further studies with a better described methodology to actually investigate more accurately about the isolated effect of NMS in critical patients.