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.