NSAID ionisation in the management of soft-tissue rheumatism: role played by the drug, electrical stimulation and suggestion.
Four treatments for soft-tissue rheumatism--sham ionisation, placebo ionisation, and pharmacological ionisation with pirprofen (two-dose levels)--were assessed in a randomized double-blind, between-patient controlled trial in 73 outpatients affected by scapulo-humeral periarthritis or elbow epicondylitis. Treatment lasted two weeks (5 sessions a week). Progress was measured by patient's assessment on pain at rest and on movement and by physician's assessment on functional impairment. At two weeks each treatment was associated with a significant degree of improvement; however, pharmacological ionisation produced a significantly higher improvement in symptoms. No differences were detected between sham ionisation and placebo ionisation. These results suggest that the ionisation procedure displays per se a moderate therapeutic effect which seems to be due more to a simple placebo effect than to the biological effect of electricity.
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004560:Electricity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010489:Periarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010666:Phenylpropionates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013716:Tennis Elbow / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007477:Ions; D010666:Phenylpropionates; C008924:pirprofen