Electrical muscle stimulation improved a combined function score in severe heart failure
In a small hospital trial, adding leg stimulation to physiotherapy improved a composite score, while individual walking and chair-rise comparisons were inconclusive.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Adding electrical stimulation improved the combined functional performance measure more than physiotherapy alone. However, the between-group differences in walking, chair rises and depressive symptoms did not reach statistical significance. No adverse effects or device interference were observed, but this small, short trial cannot establish safety across other patients or longer periods.
This abstract-only report describes a small trial with brief observation. It does not provide confidence intervals for the main between-group effect or establish whether the gains persisted after discharge.
What researchers found
Change in StimFIT5-Score
After 2 weeks: stimulation plus physiotherapy versus physiotherapy alone; composite functional performance score.
A combined outcome
The combined score brought together several functional tests performed before and after treatment. An improvement in that overall measure does not mean every individual test showed a statistically clear advantage over the control group.
Why the comparison matters
Both groups improved on some measures during hospitalization. The relevant treatment comparison is whether improvement differed between groups; improvement within the stimulation group alone does not establish that the added treatment produced the change.
The original publication
Improved performance after neuromuscular electrical stimulation in hospitalized patients with severe heart failure.
Betz TM, Kinitz H, Kristen I et al.
ESC Heart Fail · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41711734
- Record checked
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