Table 1.
Perfusion randomized controlled trial (RCT) organized by the type of ulcer
| Author | Pathology of interest | Duration of treatment | Treatment specification: voltage, current, phase duration, frequency | Population | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilcreast (45) | Perfusion in DFU and high-risk population using HPVC | Once Span: 1 day |
100 V, 100 pps, 0.07 pulse duration | Treatment n=132 | TcpO2 significant improvement in 27% of subjects (p<0.05). No change in 73% of study subjects. Laser Doppler flow NS. Capillary density NS. |
| Clover (35) | Perfusion in stable claudication using TENS | 1 hour, TID, for 6 weeks Span: 6 weeks |
1.0 V, 10 mA, 8 Hz | Treatment n=24, Control: n=12 | Capillary density increased treatment 25% vs. control 0% p<0.005 TcpO2 was greater in treatment group vs. control, p>0.05, raw value NS. Laser Doppler flow NS. |
| Cramp (36) | Perfusion in health humans using TENS | Once, 15 min Span: 1 day |
High frequency = 110 Hz, 200 µs Low frequency 4 Hz, 200 µs |
High frequency n=10 Low frequency n=10 Sham** n=10 |
TcpO2 NS. Laser Doppler blood flow was greater in the low-frequency group compared vs. other groups p=0.01. Capillary density NS. |
| Forst (46) | Perfusion in neuropathic patients using TENS | Once, 3 min Span: 1 day |
0.2 ms at 4 cycles/s 70 mA or painless muscle contraction | NP-/RP− n=14, NP + /RP− n=14, NP − /RP+ n=8, NP + /RP + n=21, Non-diabetic n=21 |
TcpO2 NS. Laser Doppler blood flow increased with ES in all groups at the dorsum of the foot p>0.05. Capillary density NS. |
| Peters (44) | Perfusion in diabetics using DC | 60 min, QID, for 1 day Span: 2 days |
50 V, 100 twin-peak monophasic pps | Diabetics with PAD n= 11 and without PAD n=8 |
TcpO2 significant improvement in patients with PAD 27% (p<0.05) No change in patients without PAD. Laser Doppler blood flow no difference (p=0.27) Capillary density NS. |
| Griffin (41) | Venous flow with TENS | Twelve increments in stimuli per minute (spm) | 0–5 V, 50 ms, 2–120 spm | Healthy volunteers n = 24 | Peak systolic velocity in popliteal artery was 10 times higher at 2–8 spm than baseline Ejection volume was 19 times higher at spm than 120 spm. |
* Single-blind RCT;
**
double-blind RCT; NS, not stated; pps: pulse per second.