Temporal effects of two interferential current applications on peripheral circulation in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the short-term effects of sympathetic and peripheral stimulation of interferential current (IFC) on blood flow (BF) in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP).

METHODS

Thirty children with hemiplegic CP, ranging from 8 to 12 years old, were randomly divided into three groups (10 children/group). The first group received sympathetic stimulation of IFC, the second group received peripheral stimulation of IFC, and the third group (control) received placebo peripheral stimulation of IFC. A frequency of 80-100 Hz at an intensity of 10-20 mA was applied for 20 min. Blood volume pulse (BVP) amplitude was measured before IFC application using a plethysmography sensor at the big toe immediately after and 15 min poststimulation. The data were statistically analyzed and compared.

RESULTS

There were statistically significant differences in BVP amplitude among the three time intervals in both the sympathetic and peripheral groups (P < 0.05) with no difference in the control group (P = 0.995). There was a significant increase in BVP amplitude immediately after stimulation compared with before stimulation in both the sympathetic and peripheral groups (P = 0.0001). However, differences between the sympathetic and peripheral groups at the three measured periods were statistically nonsignificant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both IFC applications had a proper effect on improving BF in children with hemiplegic CP with no difference in efficacy between sympathetic and peripheral stimulation.