ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was to assess whether a low frequency magnetic field can influence pain intensity, quality of life and sleep, and glycaemic control in patients with painful diabetic polyneuropathy. METHODS: Sixty-one patients were randomized into two groups: the study group comprised 32 patients exposed to a low frequency magnetic field, average pain duration 23 months; the control group included 29 patients who received sham exposure, average pain duration 28 months. Patients were exposed for three weeks, 20 min a day, five days a week. The magnetic field generator was a Viofor JPS device (Med & Life, Komorow, Poland). All subjects filled out the following questionnaires five times (at the beginning and after one, two, three and five weeks): SFMPQ-VAS (pain evaluation), EuroQol EQ-5D and MOS Sleep Scale. HbA(1c) was evaluated at baseline and after five weeks. RESULTS: Significant reductions in pain intensity were seen in both the study group (visual analogue scale [VAS] value of 73 mm at baseline versus 33 mm after three weeks) and controls (VAS 69 mm at baseline versus 41 mm after three weeks). The extent of pain reduction did not differ significantly between the groups at any time. Also, both groups had similar improvements in EuroQol, MOS and HbA(1c) values. CONCLUSION: Genuine magnetic field exposure has no advantage over sham exposure in reducing pain intensity, improving quality of life, and decreasing sleep disturbances and HbA(1c).
Subject(s)
Diabetic Neuropathies/therapy , Electromagnetic Fields , Pain Management , Quality of Life , Sleep Wake Disorders/therapy , Adult , Aged , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pain Measurement , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
In dermatology PDT has been proven to be effective in the treatment of actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinomas (BCC), Bowen's disease, superficial squamous cell carcinomas (SCC).
ABSTRACT
Photodynamic procedures were intended for early detection and therapy of neoplastic diseases. Fluorescence diagnosis is based on the detection of the fluorescence of exo- and endogenous photosensitizers selectively accumulated in pathological tissues. Photodynamic therapy is based on the selective destruction of neoplastic tissue resulting from interaction between photosensitizer, light and oxygen. The main fields of the clinical use of photodynamics are pulmonology, gastroneterology, urology and dermatology. The article presents the theoretical principles of fluorescence diagnosis and photodynamic therapy followed by the review of up-to-date literature concerning the use of photodynamics in diseases of the genital tract in women.
Subject(s)
Genital Neoplasms, Female/drug therapy , Photochemotherapy , Precancerous Conditions/diagnosis , Female , Fluorescence , Genital Neoplasms, Female/pathology , Humans , Photochemotherapy/methods , Photochemotherapy/trends , Precancerous Conditions/therapyABSTRACT
Therapy of squamous vulvar diseases creates main problems in modern gynecology. Except some useful and tried, but sometimes not optimal, therapeutical methods, medicine still discovers new diagnostic and therapeutical procedures. Authors describe new trends in photodynamic diagnostics and treatment (PDD and PDT) of some vulvar epithelial diseases: condylomata acuminata and squamous cell vulvar cancer.
