To assess the effect of high voltage electrotherapy on vascular endothelial function, measured by a clinical method.
The study design was experimental. Thirty-two young adults were included in the study and divided into electrotherapy and control groups. Endothelial function was measured using a clinical method. In the control group, after a 5-minute compression in the brachial region, blood pressure was determined with a digital wrist sphygmomanometer at baseline, at two, five, and seven minutes, and the difference in diastolic blood pressure was established to indirectly determine the change in arterial diameter. In the electrotherapy group, high voltage electrotherapy was applied for 20 minutes: negative polarity, 2-second ramp, 80/120 pps sweep, continuous cycle time, for 20 minutes. After the stimulus, the clinical method was used in the control group.
The electrotherapy group funded a significant increase (p=0.023) was observed in the final diastolic blood pressure response at 7 minutes (62.5±7.175mmHg) after the application of high voltage electrotherapy, compared to the basal measurement (60.6±5.399mmHg). This increase was maintained during 2min (62.7±7.239mmHg) and 5min (62.5±7.089mmHg). In the control group, data were collected in the first 2mins (61.8±9.483mmHg), 5min (62.5±6.730mmHg), and 7min (62.4±6.754mmHg), the diastolic pressure returned to be very similar to its basal (62.5±6.221mmHg). In this group, no significant changes were observed concerning the p-value in any systolic blood pressure tests, with only a slight increase in its value.
High-voltage electrotherapy produces modifications in the diastolic arterial diameter, measured through a clinical method, which implies modifications to the vascular endothelial function.
This work is one of the first clinical studies to demonstrate the modification of arterial diameter after the administration of high-voltage electrotherapy, which could represent one of the first evidence of how electrotherapy improves wound repair through the therapeutic effect on endothelial function.
Endothelial Function
Wound Healing
