Analysis of Sensory and Motor Thresholds During Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation in Different Sexes and Ages

The sensory and motor perception thresholds can influence the therapeutic effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. This study aimed to determine the threshold of sensory perception and the threshold of motor response in young and elderly subjects of both sexes. Eighty healthy volunteers were evaluated; 40 women and 40 men divided into two equal groups of young and elderly subjects. Half of the individuals in each group were stimulated with 5 and 50Hz frequency, with pulse duration of 20, 100, 400, 1000 and 3000µs applied on the flexor muscle bellies of the wrist and fingers. The threshold of sensory perception was identified as the first sensation of increased current intensity and the threshold of motor response as the minimum muscle contraction detected. The results were submitted to ANOVA test, followed by the Tukey test, with a significance level of 5%.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Individuals
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 86
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 78 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy individuals

Exclusion Criteria:

• not present: previous circulatory, nervous or metabolic diseases, metal implants in areas to be studied; fracture on upper limb studied; history of pain or injury in areas to be studied.
• are not in menstrual period or a week before it
• not be making use of drugs that affect the nervous system

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: threshold of sensory perception; Eighty healthy volunteers were evaluated; 40 women and 40 men divided into two equal groups of young and elderly subjects. Half of the individuals in each group were stimulated with 5 and 50Hz frequency, with pulse duration of 20, 100, 400, 1000 and 3000µs applied on the flexor muscle bellies of the wrist and fingers. The threshold of sensory perception was identified as the first sensation of increased current intensity and the threshold of motor response as the minimum muscle contraction detected.	Other: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Experimental: threshold of motor response; Eighty healthy volunteers were evaluated; 40 women and 40 men divided into two equal groups of young and elderly subjects. Half of the individuals in each group were stimulated with 5 and 50Hz frequency, with pulse duration of 20, 100, 400, 1000 and 3000µs applied on the flexor muscle bellies of the wrist and fingers. The threshold of motor response as the minimum muscle contraction detected.	Other: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Analysis of sensory thresholds	A pulse generator was used for data collection, with constant current intensity, and the following parameters were used for current stimulation: square biphasic wave, and pulse-width varying in 20, 50, 100, 200,300, 500, 1000 and 3000µs, at a frequency of 5 or 50Hz. During the procedure, the volunteers remained seated, with the forearm in supination, resting on a table. The tests always initiated with 20µs pulse-width, with high intensity until the threshold of sensory perception were reached. At this point, the intensity was reset and the procedure began again, followed by the next pulse duration, progressively evolving up to 3000µs and repeated three times with a 10-minute interval between the tests. The procedures were carried out with a 72 hour minimum interval for different frequencies.	1 years
Analysis of Motor thresholds	A pulse generator was used for data collection, with constant current intensity, and the following parameters were used for current stimulation: square biphasic wave, and pulse-width varying in 20, 50, 100, 200,300, 500, 1000 and 3000µs, at a frequency of 5 or 50Hz. During the procedure, the volunteers remained seated, with the forearm in supination, resting on a table. The tests always initiated with 20µs pulse-width, with high intensity until the threshold of motor response were reached. At this point, the intensity was reset and the procedure began again, followed by the next pulse duration, progressively evolving up to 3000µs and repeated three times with a 10-minute interval between the tests. The procedures were carried out with a 72 hour minimum interval for different frequencies.	1 years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Sao Paulo

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 27, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 8, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): June 12, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 12, 2013
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 8, 2013
• Last Verified: June 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: U1111-1143-6220