Functional electrical stimulation in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated by diabetic angiopathy and polyneuropathy

Abstract

Diabetic distal polyneuropathy (DPN) is the main cause of disability in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The purpose of the research with 72 patients was to study the effect of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on reducing the degree of functional motor disorders in patients with DM2, angiopathy and DPN. Method. The patients were divided into 3 randomized groups (2 main groups, 1 control group). In addition to basic therapy, the patients of the main groups were treated with FES of the lower extremities with a frequency of 10–30 Hz in group 1 and 80–100 Hz in group 2. Results: the dynamics of quantitative assessment of the overall score on the NSS scale after treatment was significantly higher in the main groups compared to group 3 (Mann-Whitney test p 1–3 = 0,001, p 2–3 = 0,006). There was no significant difference in the overall score of the NSS between groups 1 and 2. The most pronounced positive changes in neurofunctional disorders after treatment on the NDS scale were achieved in group 1: the overall score decreased by 52% after the treatment and was significantly lower than in other groups (p 1–2 = 0,014, p 1–3 = 0,002, Mann-Whitney test). According to the treadmill test, tolerance to physical activity increased in all patients after the treatment. Significant positive dynamics of the stabilometric index of the ratio of energy consumption with closed and open eyes while standing on a balancing pillow was observed only in main group 1 (decreased by 41%, p=0,000, Wilcoxon test). Conclusions. The use of FES of the lower extremities as part of complex therapy in patients with DM2 complicated by angiopathy and DPN is safe and allowed reducing the degree of functional disorders and neuropathic complaints to a greater extent in the study group using FES with a frequency of 10–30 Hz.