Sousa 2009a.
| Study characteristics | ||
| Methods | Randomised single‐blind experimental study, Brazil. | |
| Participants | 40 women undergoing caesarean delivery, aged more than 18 years (18 to 45 years), primiparous or multiparous, not obese, undergoing spinal anaesthesia and incision P‐fannestiel,with pain, literate and understand the pain scale. There were 20 women in the experimental group and 20 in the placebo group. | |
| Interventions | The intervention group received TENS current initiate 24 hours postoperatively, consisting of spike waveform impulses of 75 µs duration, delivered at a frequency of 100 Hz, remaining in postpartum women for 45 minutes. The control group was accompanied by the researcher for the same 45 minutes. The women remained without medication during the study period, being excluded if they needed it. | |
| Outcomes | Pain scores (McGill Pain Questionnaire with consists of 2 main indices, Pain Rating Index (PRI) and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) end the numerical categorical scale (VAS) after intervention and 1 hour after intervention. | |
| Notes | Results sent by author. Funding sources: National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. Setting: maternity hospital in Brazil. Conflicts of interest: not mentioned. Dates of trial: April to May 2007. |
|
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | The participants were randomly allocated according to site www.randomization.com. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Not reported |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | High risk | There was no blinding. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Low risk | The lead researcher conducted the evaluations of 2 groups without knowing what the postpartum group received. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | There were no losses after randomisation. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | Presents the results of the analysis proposed in the methods. |
| Other bias | Low risk | We do not suspect any other bias related to this study. |