TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) improves upper GI symptoms and balances the sympathovagal activity in scleroderma patients
AU - Sallam, Hanaa
AU - McNearney, Terry A.
AU - Doshi, Dipti
AU - Chen, J. D.Z.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work received grant support from NIH/NIA
PY - 2007/5
Y1 - 2007/5
N2 - To assess the impact of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at gastrointestinal (GI) acupoints on GI symptoms and quality of life in scleroderma patients, 17 patients filled out SF-36 and GI symptom questionnaires before the electrocardiogram was recorded for two intervals: baseline and TENS. At home, patients applied TENS for 14 days, then were reassessed. Acutely, TENS application significantly increased sympathetic and vagal activities vs. baseline (P= 0.02 and P= 0.004), respectively. Prolonged TENS application normalized the sympathovagal balance (P= 0.04), decreased GI symptom scores (P= 0.02) and increased the physical functioning score (SF36), which strongly correlated with the change in the sympathovagal balance (r= 0.6, P= 0.02). In conclusion, TENS at GI acupoints offers a potential option in the treatment of upper GI symptoms, but further study is necessary.
AB - To assess the impact of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at gastrointestinal (GI) acupoints on GI symptoms and quality of life in scleroderma patients, 17 patients filled out SF-36 and GI symptom questionnaires before the electrocardiogram was recorded for two intervals: baseline and TENS. At home, patients applied TENS for 14 days, then were reassessed. Acutely, TENS application significantly increased sympathetic and vagal activities vs. baseline (P= 0.02 and P= 0.004), respectively. Prolonged TENS application normalized the sympathovagal balance (P= 0.04), decreased GI symptom scores (P= 0.02) and increased the physical functioning score (SF36), which strongly correlated with the change in the sympathovagal balance (r= 0.6, P= 0.02). In conclusion, TENS at GI acupoints offers a potential option in the treatment of upper GI symptoms, but further study is necessary.
KW - Gastrointestinal symptoms
KW - Heart rate variability
KW - Systemic sclerosis
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U2 - 10.1007/s10620-006-9257-3
DO - 10.1007/s10620-006-9257-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 17372833
AN - SCOPUS:34247190748
SN - 0163-2116
VL - 52
SP - 1329
EP - 1337
JO - Digestive Diseases and Sciences
JF - Digestive Diseases and Sciences
IS - 5
ER -