Early Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Preserves Muscle Size and Quality and Maintains Systemic Levels of Signaling Mediators of Muscle Growth and Inflammation in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Table 4
IGF-I, cytokines, and MMP over the first seven days after hospital admission in control (n = 13) and NMES (n = 12) groups.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 7
MD [95% CI] - Difference from D7 to D1
IGF-I, (ng/mL)
Control
60.9 (28.0)
47.7 (24.5)
43.7 (26.7)
42.9 (17.8)
41.7 (16.3)
33.2 (15.5)
−13.43 [−31.05; 4.19]
NMES
55.8 (24.2)
44.5 (23.1)
42.2 (19.1)
40.8 (18.6)
43.3 (20.7)
45.5 (29.3)
IL-2, (pg/mL)
Control
8.3 (0.9)
8.5 (0.8)
8.6 (1.1)
8.8 (1.3)
8.8 (1.2)
8.7 (1.4)
0.36 [−0.34; 1.07]
NMES
8.2 (1.0)
8.7 (1.2)
8.6 (0.6)
8.1 (1.0)
8.0 (1.6)
7.9 (1.2)
IL-4, (pg/mL)
Control
4.1 (0.6)
3.9 (0.4)
3.8 (0.5)
4.3 (0.8)
4.3 (0.8)
4.2 (0.8)
0.16 [−0.14; 0.46]
NMES
4.0 (1.1)
3.9 (0.9)
3.8 (0.7)
4.1 (1.0)
3.6 (0.5)
4.3 (0.6)
IL-6, (pg/mL)
Control
231 (217)
312 (200)
289 (245)
253 (165)
236 (157)
203 (167)
−12.12 [−105.1; 80.84]
NMES
327 (228)
340 (247)
212 (95)
185 (116)
294 (212)
238 (172)
IL-10, (pg/mL)
Control
9.8 (7.6)
9.3 (5.3)
8.5 (6.8)
9.1 (6.2)
11.5 (8.5)
7.6 (4.3)
0.148 [−2.141; 5.120]
NMES
9.9 (6.8)
7.0 (3.7)
10.0 (5.9)
6.7 (3.6)
5.9 (2.3)
7.6 (4.2)
TNF-α, (pg/mL)
Control
2.8 (1.1)
2.8 (1.2)
2.8 (1.4)
2.8 (1.5)
3.0 (1.6)
2.8 (1.4)
0.28 [−0.77; 1.33]
NMES
2.7 (1.5)
2.7 (1.50)
2.6 (1.5)
2.7 (1.3)
2.2 (1.2)
2.4 (1.0)
IFN-y, (pg/mL)
Control
4.9 (1.4)
5.0 (1.3)
5.7 (1.6)
5.5 (1.6)
5.5 (1.3)
6.1 (1.4)
−0.05 [−1.21; 1.10]
NMES
5.0 (1.2)
5.4 (2.6)
6.0 (2.2)
5.6 (2.0)
5.2 (1.3)
5.8 (1.6)
MMP-2, (active)
Control (n = 5)
0.110 (0.026)
0.251 (0.110)
0.187 (0.034)
0.190 (0.041)
0.197 (0.032)
0.229 (0.057)
0.016 [−0.014; 0.046]
NMES (n = 4)
0.133 (0.055)
0.170 (0.016)
0.177 (0.032)
0.192 (0.033)
0.214 (0.094)
0.182 (0.015)
MMP-9, (active)
Control (n = 5)
0.303 (0.229)
0.237 (0.050)
0.226 (0.073)
0.212 (0.076
0.144 (0.019)
0.252 (0.039)
−0.021 [−0.022; 0.074]
NMES (n = 4)
0.133 (0.050)
0.198 (0.064)
0.198 (0.065)
0.193 (0.048)
0.217 (0.034)
0.269 (0.070)
Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. MD: mean difference between groups and [95% CI]: 95% confidence interval of the difference among groups between Day 7 (D7) and Day 1 (D1). NMES: neuromuscular electrical stimulation.