title: Noncontact low-frequency ultrasound therapy in the treatment of chronic wounds: a meta-analysis.
abstract: Our objective was to summarize and quantify the effects of a noncontact low-frequency ultrasound (NLFU) therapy on healing of chronic wounds. We performed a meta-analysis of eight published studies reporting effects of NLFU on wound size and healing rate of chronic wounds in 444 NLFU-treated patients. A search of the PubMed database was conducted in January 2010 and updated in October 2010. We used random-effects linear regression models to estimate the proportional reductions in wound area and volume and the proportion of wounds healed from baseline to last follow-up. In four studies (N=188) reporting change in wound area from baseline, NLFU was associated with 85.2% area reduction (95% CI 64.7%-97.6%) over a mean 7 weeks. In four studies (N=278) reporting reduction in wound volume, NLFU was associated with 79.7% volume reduction (95% CI 46.1%-98.8%) over a mean 12 weeks. In seven studies (N=429) reporting proportion of wounds healing by study end (mean time to healing 8.2 weeks; median 6.8 weeks), meta-analyzed healing rates over time suggest 32.7% of wounds healed on average by 6 weeks (95% CI 23.3%-42.1%) and 41.7% by 12 weeks. NLFU for treatment of chronic wounds was associated with consistent and substantial wound size reductions, as well as favorable rates of healing.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Limb Preservation and Tissue Repair, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston University Medical Center, Massachusetts, USA. vickie.driver@bmc.org
authors.forename: Vickie R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Driver
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013997:Time Factors; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D014945:Wound Healing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*