Use of Neuromuscular Electrostimulation (NMES) for Treatment or Prevention of ICU-Associated Weakness (NMES)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00709124 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : July 3, 2008
Results First Posted : April 16, 2015
Last Update Posted : January 23, 2018
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Intensive Care Unit Muscle Weakness | Device: Neuromuscular Electrostimulation (NMES) CareStim Muscle Stimulation Device (Care Rehab; McLean, VA) Device: Sham | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 36 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Prevention |
Official Title: | Use of Neuromuscular Electrostimulation (NMES) for Treatment or Prevention of ICU-Associated Weakness |
Study Start Date : | June 2008 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | April 2013 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | April 2013 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: NMES
60 minute daily NMES sessions every day for the duration of subject's ICU stay.
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Device: Neuromuscular Electrostimulation (NMES) CareStim Muscle Stimulation Device (Care Rehab; McLean, VA)
60 minute NMES sessions will be applied to three muscle groups of the lower extremities (quadriceps, pretibial, and triceps surae). Sessions start at study entry, and will occur every day for the duration of subject's ICU stay.
Other Name: CareStim Muscle Stimulation Device (Care Rehab; McLean, VA) |
Sham Comparator: Sham
60 minute sham sessions every day for the duration of subjects ICU stay. No voltage will be applied to those receiving sham sessions.
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Device: Sham
60 minute NMES sessions will be applied to three muscle groups of the lower extremities (quadriceps, pretibial, and triceps surae). Sessions start at study entry, and will occur every day for the duration of subject's ICU stay. Sham groups will NOT have voltage applied.
Other Name: CareStim Muscle Stimulation Device (Care Rehab; McLean, VA) |
- Lower Extremity Strength, at Hospital Discharge, of 3 Bilateral Muscle Groups (Pretibial, Triceps Surae, and Quadriceps) Measured Via MMT Using a Composite Medical Research Council (MRC) Score [ Time Frame: At hospital discharge ]Range 0 to 30 with higher score better. The composite score is a simple sum of the individual scores from the 3 bilateral muscle groups
- Individual Muscle Strength Using Handheld Dynamometry: Tibialis Anterior, Gastrocnemius, and Quadriceps Muscle Strength [ Time Frame: ICU and hospital discharge ]Strength (in pounds) - measured via handheld dynamometry of tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and quadriceps
- Overall Body Strength [ Time Frame: ICU and hospital discharge ]Measuring strength of 6 muscle groups in arms and legs using Medical Research Council composite score (each muscle group scored from scale of 0 [no visible or noticeable contraction] to 5 [maximum strength] and the sum of the scores for the 6 muscle groups equate to a composite score ranging from 0 to 60, higher score is better).
- Hand Grip Strength [ Time Frame: ICU and hospital discharge ]Hand grip strength measured using a dynamometer (measured in kilograms, then compared to age- and sex-matched population norms to yield % predicted)
- Respiratory Muscle Strength [ Time Frame: ICU and hospital discharge ]Measured using maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) measurements that is then compared to predicted values for each participant (i.e., % predicted)
- Functional Status Measured Using Functional Status Score for the Intensive Care Unit [ Time Frame: ICU and hospital discharge ]Evaluates a patient's physical function in the ICU setting. Each task is scored, ranging from 0 (unable to perform) to 7 (complete independence).The total score ranges from 0-35, with higher scores indicating better physical functioning.
- Duration of Mechanical Ventilation [ Time Frame: Until hospital discharge ]The number of days the patient was on mechanical ventilation.
- ICU and Hospital Length of Stay [ Time Frame: ICU and Hospital discharge ]The number of days that the patient was in the ICU and hospital, respectively.
- ICU and In-hospital Mortality [ Time Frame: ICU discharge and Hospital discharge ]The number of patients who died in the ICU and those who died by hospital discharge.
- Total Hospital Charges [ Time Frame: Hospital discharge ]The total dollar amount of charges from hospital stay
- Hospital Discharge Destination (e.g., Home, Rehab Facility) [ Time Frame: Hospital discharge ]Discharge location after hospital stay.
- Lower Extremity Strength, at Hospital Discharge, of 3 Bilateral Muscle Groups (Pretibial, Triceps Surae, and Quadriceps) [ Time Frame: At hospital discharge ]Measured via manual muscle strength test using a composite Medical Research Council (MRC) score with each muscle group rated with score ranging from 0 (no visible or noticeable contraction of the muscle) to 5 (maximum strength). The sum of the scores for the lower limb muscle groups can range from 0 to 30 (higher score is better)
- Mean Change in Subject's Lower Extremity Muscle Strength Composite Score From Baseline [ Time Frame: At ICU and Hospital discharge ]
The mean change of the sum of the lower limb strength scores between awakening and ICU discharge and between ICU discharge and hospital discharge.
Three lower limb muscle groups are assessed bilaterally (each muscle group scored from scale of 0 [no visible or noticeable contraction] to 5 [maximum strength]). The scores are then summed for each patient at each time point (range 0 -30, higher score is better).
- ICU Delirium [ Time Frame: During ICU stay - on days with study (NMES/Sham) session ]Proportion of ICU days the patient had delirium
- Subgroup Analysis [ Time Frame: ICU and hospital discharge and change over time ]
For patients with >= 7 days of mechanical ventilation, we will compare the 2 groups for the following outcomes: Lower extremity muscle strength, mean change in whole body muscle strength score from baseline to ICU discharge, mean change in whole body muscle strength score from baseline to hospital discharge, and whole body muscle strength score at ICU discharge and at hospital discharge.
Each muscle group is assessed bilaterally (scale of 0 [no visible or noticeable contraction] to 5 [maximum strength]). There are three muscle groups assessed bilaterally for lower extremity (hip flexion, knee extension, and ankle dorsiflexion) (score range 0-30, higher score is better i.e. stronger); while for whole body strength assessment (score range 0-360, higher score is better), the following additional muscles are assessed: shoulder abduction, elbow flexion and wrist extension.
The scores are then summed for each patient at each time point.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- 1 day of mechanical ventilation with an expectation of requiring ≥2 additional days of ICU stay in a Johns Hopkins Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unable to understand or speak English due to language barrier or cognitive impairment prior to admission
- Unable to independently transfer from bed to chair at baseline prior to hospital admission
- Known primary systemic neuromuscular disease (e.g. Guillian-Barre) at ICU admission
- Known intracranial process that is associated with localizing weakness (e.g. cerebral vascular accident) at ICU admission
- Transferred from another ICU outside of the Johns Hopkins system after >4 consecutive days of mechanical ventilation
- Moribund (i.e. >90% probability of patient mortality in the next 96 hours)
- Anticipated transfer to another ICU for care (e.g. awaiting organ transplantation and transfer to surgical ICU)
- Any pacemaker (e.g., cardiac, diaphragm) or implanted cardiac defibrillator
- Pregnancy
- Body mass index ≥35 kg/m2
- Any limitation in life support other than a sole no-CPR order
- Known or suspected malignancy in the legs
- Unable to treat or evaluate both lower extremities (e.g., bilateral amputation, bilateral skin lesions)
- ICU length of stay >7 days prior to enrollment

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00709124
United States, Maryland | |
Johns Hopkins Hospital | |
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287 |
Principal Investigator: | Dale Needham, MD, PhD | Johns Hopkins University |
Responsible Party: | Johns Hopkins University |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00709124 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
NA_00017423 |
First Posted: | July 3, 2008 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | April 16, 2015 |
Last Update Posted: | January 23, 2018 |
Last Verified: | January 2018 |
Respiration, Artificial Critical Illness Intensive Care Units Electric Stimulation Therapy Muscle Weakness Paresis |
Mechanically Ventilated Patients Admitted Medical |
Muscle Weakness Paresis Muscular Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases |
Neuromuscular Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Nervous System Diseases Pathologic Processes |