Table 1.
Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients affected by knee OA treated with pulsed electromagnetic fields or placebo device
| Characteristic | All patients (n = 60) | PEMF (n = 30) | Placebo (n = 30) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (s.d.), years | 67.7 (10.9) | 68.6 (11.9) | 66.9 (10) |
| Gender (female/male) | 43/17 | 21/9 | 22/8 |
| BMI, mean (s.d.), kg/m2 | 27.4 (4.3) | 27.7 (4.6) | 27.1 (4.1) |
| Disease duration, mean (s.d.), years | 12.1 (8.2) | 12.4 (9.1) | 11.9 (7.4) |
| Pain score (100 mm VAS), mean (s.d.), mm | 65.3 (15.8) | 67 (16.6) | 63.6 (15.1) |
| WOMAC total score, mean (s.d.) | 132.9 (45.2) | 136.6 (49.6) | 129.2 (40.8) |
| SF-36 v2 physical health, mean (s.d.) | 52.1 (6.8) | 52 (7.4) | 52.2 (6.2) |
| SF-36 v2 mental health, mean (s.d.) | 41.1 (5.9) | 40.4 (5.8) | 41.8 (5.6) |
| DIP PPT, mean (s.d.) | 3.3 (1.3) | 3.4 (1.4) | 3.3 (1.2) |
| QDR PPT, mean (s.d.) | 12.3 (5.8) | 12.4 (6) | 12.4 (5.8) |
| NSAIDs, n (%) | 21 (35) | 10 (33) | 11 (36) |
| Analgesics, n (%) | 26 (43) | 12 (40) | 14 (46) |
PEMF: pulsed electromagnetic fields; PPT: pressure pain threshold; QDR: quadriceps femoris; SF-36 v2: 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form version 2; VAS: visual analog scale.