Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Versus Intermittent Pneumatic Compression for Blood Flow

Improved Lower Limb Haemodynamics Using Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES); Potential Novel DVT Prophylaxis

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01862471

Enrollment

Registered

2013-05-24

Start date

2013-05-31

Completion date

2013-06-30

Last updated

2013-06-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Venous Thrombosis

Keywords

Deep Vein Thrombosis, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, Intermittent Pneumatic Compression, Doppler Ultrasound

Brief summary

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a life threatening condition and a serious concern among hospitalized patients, with death occurring in approximately 6% of cases. It involves the formation of a clot where stagnant blood flow occurs, predominantly in the deep veins of the legs. Three mechanisms underlie DVT, venous stasis (slowing or stopping of the blood), hypercoagulability (increased clotting) and damage to blood vessel endothelium (damage to blood vessel wall), collectively known as Virchow's triad. Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) have been shown to improve lower limb blood flow. However, few studies have directly compared the two methods and those that have, have used outdated NMES devices. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a modern NMES device to intermittent pneumatic compression in terms of blood flow.

Interventions

DEVICENeuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

Frequency of 36Hz, a balanced biphasic waveform with a pulse width of 350μs, a ramp up time of 500ms, a contraction time of 1s and a ramp down time of 500ms.

DEVICEIntermittent Pneumatic Compression

Programmed to deliver compression every 20 seconds at a pressure of 130mmHg for a 1 second duration over a period of 5 minutes.

Study design

Allocation

Intervention model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 40 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria

* History of heart/respiratory problems * Pregnancy * Presence of implants, including cardiac pacemakers and orthopaedic implants * History of neurological disorder * History of severe arterial disease or known dermatological problems * Under 18 years of age or over 40 years of age

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Blood Flow Measurements from the Lower Limb	An hour and a half (plus or minus half an hour)

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Blood Pressure	An hour and a half (plus or minus half an hour)
Heart Rate	An hour and a half (plus or minus half an hour)

Countries

Ireland

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026