ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2022
Rehabilitative interventions for ischaemic digital ulcers, pain, and hand functioning in systemic sclerosis: a prospective before-after study.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions on upper limb function in patients with systemic sclerosis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Immersion Ultrasound Therapy in Combination with Manual Therapy in the Treatment of Ischemic Digital Ulcers in Systemic Sclerosis.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Trial
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disease characterised by immune dysfunction, vasculopathy, cellular inflammation, fibrosis of the skin associated with multiple internal organs involvement. Ischaemic digital ulcers (IDU) of the hands commonly occur in patients with SSc adversely affecting functional independence. PURPOSE: Aim of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of a rehabilitation protocol based on the combined use of ultrasound (US) therapy and therapeutic exercise in terms of ulcers healing, pain relief, and hand functioning in patients affected by SSc with IDUs. Moreover, we also investigated the safety of the proposed intervention. STUDY
designProspective before-after study.
methodsWe included 20 patients with IDUs secondary to SSc. All patients were treated with US combined with manual therapy, including McMennel joint manipulation, pompage mobilization technique and connective tissue massage, for 10 sessions. We evaluated softness, dyschromia, pain, and hand mobility using the Pressure Sore Status Tool (PSST), the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and the Duruoz Hand Index (DHI) at T0 and at the end of the treatment (T1).
resultsTreatment with US combined with manual therapy significantly reduced ulcers depth, improved ulcers margins, and reduced periwound skin damage (median PSST score 16 at T1, p<0.0001). Moreover, significant benefits were reported in terms of pain relief (NRS 3 at T1; p<0.0005), and hand function (DHI score 19 at T1; p<0.0005). Finally, this approach seems to be safe, without side effects reported at the end of treatment, along with an optimal compliance.
conclusionTherapeutic US combined with manual therapy should be used as additional intervention to manage IDUs in SSc patients.
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