Cardiovascular surgery leads to postsurgical muscle weakness, probably because of muscle proteolysis and peripheral nerve dysfunction, which are augmented by aging and diabetes mellitus.

We examined the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on postsurgical muscle weakness in older individuals with diabetes mellitus.

We conducted a multicentre, randomized, controlled trial, and screened consecutive patients with diabetes who underwent cardiovascular surgery for eligibility (age ≥ 65 years). Those included were randomly assigned to the NMES or the sham group. The primary outcome was the percent change in isometric knee extension strength (%ΔIKES) from preoperative to postoperative day 7. Secondary outcomes were the percent change in usual (%ΔUWS), maximum walking speed (%ΔMWS), and grip strength (%ΔGS). A statistician who was blinded to group allocation used intention-to-treat analysis (student t test).

Of 1151 participants screened for eligibility, 180 (NMES, n = 90; sham, n = 90) were included in the primary analysis. %ΔIKES was significantly lower in the NMES than sham group (NMES: mean -2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] -6 to 1; sham: -13%, 95% CI -17 to -9, p < 0.001). Among the secondary outcomes, %ΔMWS was significantly lower and %ΔUWS and %ΔGS were lower, although not significantly, in the NMES than sham group.

A short course of NMES (< 1 week) mitigated postsurgical muscle weakness and functional decline in older persons with diabetes mellitus. NMES could be recommended as a part of postsurgical rehabilitation in older people with diabetes mellitus, especially those with a low functional reserve.