Objective: To determine the effects of rehabilitation therapy combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NES) on cognitive dysfunction and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) of stroke patients.
Methods: The clinical data of 100 stroke patients treated in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from February 2019 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the therapeutic regimen, the patients given rehabilitation therapy combined with NES were assigned to a study group (n=52) and those given rehabilitation therapy alone were assigned to a control group (n=48). The treatment efficacy in the two groups was evaluated, and the levels of plasma cortisol (Cor) and neuropeptide Y (NPY), neurological function, motor function, balance ability, swallowing function, cognitive function, negative emotions, and quality of life (QoL) after therapy were evaluated. The maximum amplitude of surface electromyography (sEMG) and swallowing time were compared between the two groups.
Results: The study group yielded significantly better efficacy than the control group (P<0.05). Before therapy, there were no significant differences between the two groups in Cor and NPY levels, neurological function, motor function, balance ability, swallowing function, cognitive function, sEMG, swallowing time or negative emotions (P>0.05). After therapy, the above all indices all greatly improved, with more notso in the study group. In addition, after therapy, the study group had significantly better QoL indexes than the control group.
Conclusion: Rehabilitation therapy combined with NES is effective in treating stroke. It can substantially ameliorate the cognitive dysfunction, prognosis and QoL in patients.
Keywords: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation; cognitive dysfunction; prognosis; rehabilitation therapy; stroke.
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