Many studies about Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) have been performed to determine the effectiveness of EMS. However, most studies enrolled only elderly patients.Moreover, only a few studies have verified the effect of a whole body (WB)-EMS suit on young healthy women. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to verify the physiological effects of exercise training with a WB-EMS suit in young women. During the study periods, 24 young women were randomly assigned into two groups: 1) the WB-EMS training group, and 2) the control. All participants in the two groups performed the same low-intensity resistance exercise three times a week for 6 weeks at a training center. Group 1 used an electric current for WB-EMS suit which was switched on during the exercise period. Outcome measures were body composition, body circumference of hips and abdomen, isokinetic muscle function of knees, balance functions, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)s, cardiopulmonary functions, and lipid profiles. All outcomes were measured before and after the exercise protocol over 6 weeks. A total of 23 young women (group 1, n=11; group 2, n=12) completed a 6-week exercise regimen. After exercise, we compared the differences before and after the exercise program in each group. There were significant differences (p≤0.05) in body circumference, cardiopulmonary function in group 1 and 2. In particular, group 1 that activated WB-EMS showed significant differences in the isokinetic muscle function on knee flexors and balance functions. The results of this study show that exercise with a WB-EMS suit can be considered as an effective exercise addition for young women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The cause of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is still unclear, but recently, chronic inflammation and thrombosis have received attention. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are some of the markers that show the state of inflammation and ischemia, which are measured routinely in the complete blood cell count (CBC) test. The aim of this study were to investigate the relevance of NLR and PLR with ISSNHL. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Enrolled in our retrospective analysis were 103 patients diagnosed with ISSNHL. Blood samples were taken from the patients and hearing assessments were performed. NLR and PLR were calculated using the CBC results. Then the patients were divided into 4 groups using Sigel's criteria according to their response to the treatment, which were again classified two groups, the “recovered” and “unrecovered” group. RESULTS: NLR, PLR, and neutrophil values of the unrecovered group were significantly higher than the recovered group (p=0.002, p=0.009, and p=0.038, respectively). On the other hand, lymphocyte values were significantly higher in the recovered group (p=0.007). After adjustment in a multivariate logistic regression analysis, NLR was associated with the recovery of ISSNHL (Odds ratio=1.290, p=0.042). In addition, NLR and PLR values were also significantly different between the groups classified by the Sigel's criteria (p=0.009 and p=0.029, respectively). CONCLUSION: PLR values may be useful in predicting hearing recovery after treatment in patients with ISSNH. It is also expected to be a potential marker for predicting the prognosis and determining further treatment options.
Biomarkers ; Blood Cell Count ; Hand ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Ischemia ; Logistic Models ; Lymphocytes ; Methods ; Neutrophils ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombosis