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BMC Palliative Care
Published in: BMC Palliative Care 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

The feasibility and acceptability of neuromuscular electrical stimulation to improve exercise performance in patients with advanced cancer: a pilot study

Authors: Tamara Windholz, Tara Swanson, Brandy L Vanderbyl, R Thomas Jagoe

Published in: BMC Palliative Care | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

To determine the feasibility and acceptability of lower limb neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) as a home-based exercise therapy in patients with cancer who could not attend hospital-based exercise training.

Methods

A single-arm prospective pilot study of NMES, applied daily to both quadriceps muscles for six weeks. Participants were recruited from patients referred to a hospital-based multi-disciplinary supportive care team specializing in treatment of patients with nutritional depletion and functional decline.

Results

Of the 15 participants who underwent baseline testing, 10 (67%) completed the study and only one (7%) withdrew because of discomfort due to NMES treatment. 7/10 (70%) of participants used NMES at least three times a week for the duration of the study. Use of NMES did not lead to significant improvements in physical performance tests.

Conclusions

NMES is a feasible and acceptable intervention for home use in patients with cancer, poor performance status and metastatic disease. However, whether NMES is an effective strategy to stabilize or improve physical performance in such patients is not proven.
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Metadata
Title
The feasibility and acceptability of neuromuscular electrical stimulation to improve exercise performance in patients with advanced cancer: a pilot study
Authors
Tamara Windholz
Tara Swanson
Brandy L Vanderbyl
R Thomas Jagoe
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Palliative Care / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1472-684X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-684X-13-23

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