Tag: percutaneous electrical stimulation

Chronic fatigue syndrome treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical therapeutic effects and safety of chronic fatigue syndrome treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the conception vessel and the governor vessel.

METHODS: Eighty-nine patients of chronic fatigue syndrome were randomized into an observation group (46 cases) and a control group (43 cases). In the observation group, TEAS was applied at Dazhui (GV 14) and Mingmen (GV 4), Shenque (CV 8) and Guanyuan (CV 4) [the current intensity: (14±2) mA]. In the control group, the simulated TEAS was applied at the same acupoints as the observation group (the current intensity: 1 mA). The treatment was given for 30 min, once a day, 5 times a week and the treatment of 4 weeks was as 1 session in the two groups. One session of treatment was required. Before treatment and at the end of 1 session of treatment, the fatigue severity scale (FSS) was adopted to evaluate the fatigue symptoms and the somatic and psychological health report (SPHERE) was adopted to evaluate the potential symptoms and observe the safety of TEAS therapy.

RESULTS: At the end of treatment, FSS score and SPHERE score in the control group were not different significantly as compared with those before treatment (both P>0.05). FSS score and SPHERE score in the observation group were reduced significantly as compared with those before treatment (both P<0.01). FSS score and SPHERE score in the observation group were reduced apparently as compared with those in the control group (both P<0.001). In the entire process of treatment with TEAS, no any adverse reaction occurred.

CONCLUSION: TEAS on the conception vessel and the governor vessel relieves fatigue symptoms and the potential symptoms in the patients of chronic fatigue syndrome. It is a safe therapy.

Source: Li J, Xie J, Pan Z, Guo X, Li Y, Fu R. Chronic fatigue syndrome treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation: a randomized controlled trial. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2017 Dec 12;37(12):1276-9. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.12.006. [Article in Chinese] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29354991

Exercise performance and fatiguability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

To examine the role of delay in recovery of peripheral muscle function following exercise in the fatigue experienced by patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and to examine the influence of effort perception in limiting exercise performance in these patients, a study was carried out on a group of twelve patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and 12 sex and age-matched sedentary control subjects.

Symptom limited incremental cycle exercise tests including measurements of perceived exertion were performed followed by examination of the contractile properties of the quadriceps muscle group for up to 48 hours. Muscle function was assessed by percutaneous electrical stimulation and maximum voluntary contractions.

Muscle function at rest and during recovery was normal in CFS patients as assessed by maximum isometric voluntary contraction, 20:50 Hz tetanic force ratio and maximum relaxation rate. Exercise duration and the relationship between heart rate and work rate during exercise were similar in both groups.

CFS patients had higher perceived exertion scores in relation to heart rate during exercise representing a reduced effort sensation threshold of 3.2 units on an unmodified Borg scale in CFS patients. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome show normal muscle physiology before and after exercise. Raised perceived exertion scores during exercise suggest that central factors are limiting exercise capacity in these patients.

Comment in: Lactate responses to exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome. [J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1994]

 

Source: Gibson H, Carroll N, Clague JE, Edwards RH. Exercise performance and fatiguability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1993 Sep;56(9):993-8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC489735/ (Full article)