Effect of phrenic nerve-abdominal muscle electrical stimulation on pulmonary ventilation distribution in stroke patients: a study with electrical impedance tomography
10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2026.05.007
- VernacularTitle:基于电阻抗断层成像技术评估膈神经-腹肌电刺激对脑卒中患者肺通气分布的效果
- Author:
Zhu CHEN
1
;
Liru ZHAI
2
;
Cunxia CAO
2
;
Xiaohua PENG
2
;
Tao HUANG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
stroke;
pulmonary rehabilitation;
phrenic nerve-abdominal muscle electrical stimulation;
electrical impedance tomography
- From:
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice
2026;32(5):571-576
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo quantitatively evaluate the effect of phrenic nerve-abdominal muscle electrical stimulation on pulmonary ventilation distribution in stroke patients using electrical impedance tomography (EIT). MethodsThirty-five stroke patients were enrolled at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from September, 2024 to June, 2025, and all received standardized phrenic nerve-abdominal muscle electrical stimulation. Percentage of ventilation in gravity-dependent regions of interesting (ROI%), center of ventilation (COV), global inhomogeneity index (GI) and change in end-expiratory lung impedance (ΔEELI) were measured with EIT monitoring before treatment (T0), immediately after treatment (T1), and at five, ten, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 minutes after treatment (T2 to T9). ResultsThere were significant differences in ROI% (F = 7.003, P < 0.001) and COV (F = 5.722, P < 0.001) at different time points, both peaking at T1, followed by a downward trend until T5. No significant differences were observed in GI (F = 1.849, P = 0.097) and ΔEELI (F = 0.208, P = 0.871) across time points; however, GI at T7 was lower than that at T0 (P < 0.05). ConclusionPhrenic nerve-abdominal muscle electrical stimulation can improve the ventilation ratio in gravity-dependent regions and shift the center of ventilation dorsally. The improvement in ventilation distribution generally peaks at the end of treatment and lasts for approximately 20 minutes.
