Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24936304›Full record

ArticleJournal of therapeutic ultrasound2014

Short-term sensory and cutaneous vascular responses to therapeutic ultrasound in the forearms of healthy volunteers.

Shaguftha Sultana Shaik, Joy C MacDermid, Trevor Birmingham, Ruby Grewal, Baseer Farooq

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of therapeutic ultrasound, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 24% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Scanning the global literature.Global advances in health and medicine · 2015
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Shaguftha Sultana ShaikFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Physical Therapy Field, Western University, London, ON N6G 1H1, Canada.
Joy C MacDermidFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Physical Therapy Field, Western University, London, ON N6G 1H1, Canada ; Hand and Upper Limb Centre, Clinical Research Laboratory, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, ON N6A 4 V2, Canada ; School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S4L8, Canada.
Trevor BirminghamTier 2 Canada Research Chair in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, ON N6G 1H1, Canada.
Ruby GrewalHand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph's Health Care, Division of Orthopedics, Western University, London, ON N6A 4 L6, Canada.
Baseer FarooqPhysiotherapist, London, ON N6G 1H1, Canada.
Western University · CACanadian Physiotherapy Association · CASt Joseph's Health Care · CASt Joseph's Health Centre · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTherapeutic ultrasound (US) is used for a variety of clinical pathologies and is thought to accelerate tissue repair and help with pain reduction via its thermal and nonthermal effects. The evidence on physiological effects of US on both sensory and vascular functions in humans is incomplete. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine the short-term impact of two doses of US (3 MHz, 1:4, 0.25 W/cm(2), 5 min; 1 MHz, continuous, 0.8 W/cm(2), 3 min), on sensory and vascular responses in the healthy forearms.

methodsTwenty healthy subjects were recruited (mean age, 29.6 ± 8.8 years) for the study. Superficial blood flow (SBF) in the distal forearms was determined using the tissue viability imaging system. Sensory perception thresholds (SPT) were determined from ring finger (C7, C8) to assess A-beta (at 2,000 Hz) and C fiber function (at 5 Hz), using a Neurometer CPT/C device. Subject's two hands were randomly allocated to group order (AB/BA). Scores were obtained before and immediately after the application of US and control. Differences in these were analyzed using repeated measures.

resultsBoth 3 MHz pulsed US and 1 MHz continuous US showed small to moderate (effect size = 0.12 to 0.68), statistically significant reductions in SBF (3 MHz, mean change = 2.8 AU and 1 MHz, mean change = 3.9 AU, p < 0.05 respectively), skin temperature (2.5°C and 1.1°C, p < 0.05), and SPT at 5 Hz (1.3 and 1 mA, p < 0.05) across time. SPT at 2,000 Hz remained unaltered by all three conditions (p > 0.05). Age and gender also had no effect on all outcome measures (p > 0.05).

conclusionThis study demonstrated minor reductions in skin blood flow, skin temperatures, and C fiber perception thresholds immediately after 3 MHz, and 1 MHz US. The responses observed may have been due to a thermo-cooling effect of the gel or due to the direct effect of US on C fibers of median and ulnar nerves. US had a negligible effect on A-beta fibres. This would suggest that future studies looking at physiological effects of US should move towards investigating larger dosages and study the effects in patient populations.

Indexed as

ForearmSensory perception thresholdSkin blood flowSkin temperatureUltrasound

Identifiers

PMID24936304
PMCPMC4040486
OpenAlexW2143079843

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.