ABSTRACT
The effect of pulsed high peak power electromagnetic field (Diapulse) on treatment of pressure ulcers is under investigation. 20 elderly patients, aged from 60 to 84, hospitalized with chronic conditions and bearing long-standing pressure ulcers, are subjected to Diapulse sessions (1-2 daily), parallel to conventional treatment. 5 patients undergo conventional therapy, serving as control and 5 others follow conventional+placebo Diapulse treatment. All patients were daily monitored, concerning their clinical status and ulcers' healing. After a maximum 2-weeks treatment, bulge healing rate was, as follows: 85% excellent and 15% very good healing under Diapulse therapy; in the placebo group, 80% patients show no improvement and 20% poor improvement; in the control group, 60% patients show no improvement and 40% poor improvement of ulcers. This investigation strongly advises for Diapulse treatment as a modern, uninvasive therapy of great efficiency and low social costs in resolving a serious, widespread medical problem.
Subject(s)
Electric Stimulation Therapy , Electromagnetic Fields , Pressure Ulcer/therapy , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Placebos , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
The effect of a 27.12 MHz pulsed electromagnetic field (Diapulse) on microbial growth is investigated. A strain of K 12 E. coli grown in complete Pennassay medium is subjected to Diapulse action for 30 min, at 8 hrs and 12 hrs of growth. In this experimental set-up, designed to be closed to the physiological conditions of open wounds, the Diapulse action does not promote any increase of cell population, indicating the safety of this type of therapy for wound healing process. The same K 12 E. coli strain grown in Pennassay medium for 2 hours is inoculated into a minimal growth medium and the lagless exponential growth thus obtained is followed by a spectrophotometric method. Diapulse field is applied to this lagless phase of cellular cultures at 30, 60, and 90 minutes after inoculation. A slight increase in the number of cells was observed at 2 and 4 hours after the Diapulse application, when the cultures were previously subjected to Diapulse action between the period of 60 and 90 minutes of their growth. A possible molecular mechanism for these effects is discussed.
Subject(s)
Electromagnetic Fields , Escherichia coli/growth & development , Cells, Cultured , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The effect of Diapulse therapy (pulsed electromagnetic energy of 27.12 MHz frequency) on post-operative wound healing and plasma fibronectin concentration is investigated. Patients treated with Diapulse, locally and over hepatic area present higher fibronectin levels starting 3d day after surgery. These higher values correlate well with a clear improvement of wound healing processes.
