Can intradialytic electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) improve muscle wasting, weakness, and sarcopenia in hemodialysis (HD) patients?
Electrical Muscle Stimulation Unit, a randomized controlled trial in 13 patients (Artif Organs 2018, PMID 30069942) — left: 26.1 vs. -8.3 N), quadriceps CSA at three positions (25% right: 1.7 vs. -0.4 cm. The sample size for analysis was relatively small, with 13 patients in each group.
Source: Artif Organs 2018, PMID 30069942 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
Artif Organs · 2018 · PMID 30069942 · DOI 10.1111/aor.13161
Intradialytic electrical muscle stimulation improved muscle strength, size, and physical function in hemodialysis patients.
The question
Can intradialytic electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) improve muscle wasting, weakness, and sarcopenia in hemodialysis (HD) patients?
What they tested
Intradialytic EMS will improve quadriceps muscle strength and size, and physical function in HD patients.
How they did it
This was a prospective, open-label, randomized controlled trial. Twenty-nine HD patients were randomly assigned to either an EMS group or a control group, with 13 patients in each group analyzed. The EMS group received intradialytic EMS over an 8-week period. Measurements included isometric knee extensor strength, quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA) via MRI, Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), SF-8 Health Survey, and blood tests, performed before and after the intervention.
What they found
The EMS group showed significant improvement compared to the control group in knee extensor strength (right: 22.3 vs. -10.8 N; left: 26.1 vs. -8.3 N), quadriceps CSA at three positions (25% right: 1.7 vs. -0.4 cm; 25% left: 1.3 vs. -0.6 cm; 50% right: 2.0 vs. -0.7 cm; 50% left: 2.7 vs. -0.7 cm; 75% right: 1.8 vs. -0.7 cm; 75% left: 2.1 vs. -0.4 cm), and TUG time (-0.8 vs. 0.2 s). Improvements in SF-8 components in the EMS group were not statistically significant.
| EMS Group | 22.3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | -10.8 |
The EMS group showed a mean increase of 22.3 N in right knee extensor strength, while the control group showed a mean decrease of 10.8 N.
What it means
Intradialytic electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) can be an effective exercise training tool for hemodialysis patients experiencing muscle wasting, weakness, or sarcopenia.
Limitations
The study was open-label, which might introduce bias. The sample size for analysis was relatively small, with 13 patients in each group.
The paper at a glance
| Magellan’s evidence label | electrical muscle contraction (our label for this citation — see PubMed for the paper’s own title and authors) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Artif Organs |
| Year | 2018 |
| PMID | 30069942 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1111/aor.13161 ↗ |
| Topic | Muscle, strength & physical function |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
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Electrical Muscle Stimulation Unit
In controlled trials, NMES attenuates muscle loss and weakness during disuse (leg immobilization, ICU admission, and after knee surgery) and increases quadriceps strength, with cellular studies showing preserved muscle-fiber size and contractility.
An electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) unit, also called a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Can intradialytic electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) improve muscle wasting, weakness, and sarcopenia in hemodialysis (HD) patients? [Plain-English summary of Artif Organs 2018, PMID 30069942, DOI 10.1111/aor.13161]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s174.html@misc{magellan_s174,
title = {Can intradialytic electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) improve muscle wasting, weakness, and sarcopenia in hemodialysis (HD) patients?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s174.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 30069942; DOI 10.1111/aor.13161; Artif Organs 2018. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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