Efeito da eletroestimulação neuromuscular à curto prazo sobre a espessura e qualidade muscular do quadríceps femoral em indivíduos com DPOC

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is a chronic respiratory disease with significant extrapulmonary consequences, which may contribute to the severity of the disease. Among the extrapulmonary manifestations weakness of the skeletal muscles is associated with reduced muscle strength and endurance, negatively affecting tolerance to exercise, functional independence and deterioration of general health status. The objective of the study was to analyze the outcomes of a short-term peripheral neuromuscular electro-stimulation protocol, on muscle thickness (MT) and muscle quality (MQ) of the quadriceps, the fatigue and impact of the disease of individuals with COPD, through a descriptive observational study, serial-case type, consisting of 2 phases: pre and post intervention. Participants included six individuals, according to the following inclusion criteria: to have clinical and spirometric diagnosis of COPD (moderate to very severe grade), with availability to attend the program twice a week and which had not worsened for at least 4 weeks. All were submitted to thigh perimetry evaluation, ultrasound of the quadriceps muscle, evaluation of fatigue (fatigue scale FACIT), assessment of health status (scale COPD Assessment Test – CAT) and assessment of dyspnea (modificated scale Medical Research Council - mMRC). Applying the neuromuscular electrostimulation protocol, all were reassessed by the same instruments at the end of the six weeks of intervention. It can be evidenced that the protocol of peripheral neuromuscular electrostimulation promoted a significant difference in quadriceps MS (p=0,0071) e QM (p=0,0001) the rectus femoris and the vastus medialis, as well as in the perimetry of the thigh (p=0,0129) of participants. Concludes that there is evidence that a short-term protocol, leads to improvements in muscle thickness and echogenicity in individuals with chronic disease, but did not show influence on the symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue, as well as there was no influence on the impact of the disease, and may be associated with the small number of the sample.