{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,11]],"date-time":"2026-02-11T14:11:15Z","timestamp":1770819075013,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,26]],"date-time":"2024-06-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1719360000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Onassis Foundation"},{"name":"Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA)"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and thoroughly assess any potential adverse events. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study assessing safety and feasibility, including 16 ICU patients on ECMO support who were admitted to the cardiac surgery ICU from January 2022 to December 2023. The majority of patients were females (63%) on veno-arterial (VA)-ECMO (81%), while the main cause was cardiogenic shock (81%) compared to respiratory failure. Patients underwent a 45 min NMES session while on ECMO support that included a warm-up phase of 5 min, a main phase of 35 min, and a recovery phase of 5 min. NMES was implemented on vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, gastrocnemius, and peroneus longus muscles of both lower extremities. Two stimulators delivered biphasic, symmetric impulses of 75 Hz, with a 400 \u03bcsec pulse duration, 5 sec on (1.6 sec ramp up and 0.8 sec ramp down) and 21 sec off. The intensity levels aimed to cause visible contractions and be well tolerated. Primary outcomes of this study were feasibility and safety, evaluated by whether NMES sessions were successfully achieved, and by any adverse events and complications. Secondary outcomes included indices of rhabdomyolysis from biochemical blood tests 24 h after the application of NMES. Results: All patients successfully completed their NMES session, with no adverse events or complications. The majority of patients achieved type 4 and 5 qualities of muscle contraction. Conclusions: NMES is a safe and feasible exercise methodology for patients supported with ECMO.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13133723","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,26]],"date-time":"2024-06-26T09:29:33Z","timestamp":1719394173000},"page":"3723","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Safety and Feasibility of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Patients with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4348-2153","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christos","family":"Kourek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Ergospirometry, Exercise & Rehabilitation Laboratory, Evaggelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8964-8783","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vasiliki","family":"Raidou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Ergospirometry, Exercise & Rehabilitation Laboratory, Evaggelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2071-9445","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael","family":"Antonopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 17674 Kallithea, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Dimopoulou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Ergospirometry, Exercise & Rehabilitation Laboratory, Evaggelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antigone","family":"Koliopoulou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support Units, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 17674 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6735-4183","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eleftherios","family":"Karatzanos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Ergospirometry, Exercise & Rehabilitation Laboratory, Evaggelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Theodoros","family":"Pitsolis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 17674 Kallithea, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Konstantinos","family":"Ieromonachos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support Units, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 17674 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Serafim","family":"Nanas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Ergospirometry, Exercise & Rehabilitation Laboratory, Evaggelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Stamatis","family":"Adamopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support Units, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 17674 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Themistocles","family":"Chamogeorgakis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support Units, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 17674 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2199-3788","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stavros","family":"Dimopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Ergospirometry, Exercise & Rehabilitation Laboratory, Evaggelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece"},{"name":"Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 17674 Kallithea, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3138\/ptc.2015-88","article-title":"Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Treatment of Muscle Impairment: Critical Review and Recommendations for Clinical Practice","volume":"69","author":"Nussbaum","year":"2017","journal-title":"Physiother. 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