The effect of whole-body electromyostimulation on Metabolic Syndrome in adults affected. A sub-analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Leon Mendel¹Stephanie Kast¹Simon Von Stengel¹Matthias Kohl²Frank Roemer¹Michael Uder¹Wolfgang Kemmler^1*

• ¹Institute of Radiology University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
• ²Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Furtwangen University, Schwenningen, Germany

Many people with osteoarthritis of the knee suffer from overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic conditions. In the present sub-analysis of a randomized controlled trial of the effect of whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on knee osteoarthritis in overweight Caucasians, we focus on participants with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Based on previous research, we hypothesized that WB-EMS significantly improves the Metabolic Syndrome Z score (MetS-Z-score) compared to non-training controls.Thirty-two of the initial 72 overweight adults (58±6 years, BMI: 31±4 kg/m 2 ) with knee osteoarthritis, randomly allocated to a 29-week standard WB-EMS application or to a nonexercising control group (CG) and suffering from MetS were included. Primary outcome was the MetS-Z-score, based on the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. Secondary outcomes were MetS components i.e. waist circumference, mean arterial blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol. Based on the intention to treat principle, ANCOVA determine differences between the groups (i.e. "effects").In total three participants were lost to 29-week follow-up. Attendance rate averaged 89±9% in the WB-EMS group. Adverse effects related to the intervention were not observed. WB-EMS (n=17) induced a non-significant, medium-size effect (p=.061; η²=.13) on the MetS-Zscore compared to non-exercise CG (n=15). Additionally, no significant effects (p≥.146) were observed for MetS components.In the present study, we observed a moderate, albeit non-significant effect on the MetS-Zscore. Given that the WB-EMS application was well-tolerated and accepted by the participants, we conclude that this exercise technology may offer (limited) benefits for MetS treatment. Nevertheless, further studies should address this issue with higher statistical power.