Changes in pulmonary function measures following a passive abdominal functional electrical stimulation training program

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2013 · DOI: 10.1179/2045772312Y.0000000031 · Published: January 1, 2013

Spinal Cord Injury Pulmonology Neurology

Simple Explanation

This study looks at how electrical stimulation of the abdominal muscles can help people with tetraplegia breathe better. Tetraplegia can paralyze breathing muscles, reducing lung capacity. The researchers used a passive training program, where the electrical stimulation was applied without the patient needing to actively participate. This made it easier for patients to do other things at the same time. The study found that this type of training could improve breathing in people with tetraplegia, suggesting it could be a useful addition to respiratory rehabilitation.

Study Duration

7 weeks

Participants

12 patients with tetraplegic spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Longitudinal feasibility study

Key Findings

1
Forced vital capacity (FVC) significantly increased during the 3-week abdominal functional electrical stimulation (AFES) training program.
2
Forced exhaled volume in 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) tended to increase, but the changes were not statistically significant.
3
No significant changes in outcome measures were observed during the control or follow-up phases, suggesting the FVC increase was due to the AFES intervention.

Research Summary

This study investigated the effect of a passive abdominal functional electrical stimulation (AFES) training program on respiratory function in individuals with tetraplegia. The results showed a significant improvement in forced vital capacity (FVC) following the AFES training, suggesting that this method can be used for respiratory rehabilitation in tetraplegia. The authors suggest that the improvements observed with AFES were due to increased abdominal muscle mass and tone, which led to better support for the diaphragm.

Practical Implications

Respiratory Rehabilitation Tool

Passive AFES training can be used as a respiratory rehabilitation tool for individuals with tetraplegia.

Practical Intervention

The passive nature of the AFES training allows patients to participate in other activities simultaneously, making it a practical intervention.

Potential for Further Research

The results of this study provide a basis for future research of passive AFES in a follow-up study with a control group and longer training duration.

Study Limitations

1
The study did not employ a matched control group.
2
There was considerable intra-subject variability in some of the subjects.
3
The study included a heterogeneous sample of patients with a mix of injury levels, time post injury, and AIS grade leading to large inter-subject variability.

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