title: Immediate effects of electrical stimulation, diathermy, and physical exercise on lower limb arterial blood flow in diabetic women with peripheral arterial disease: a randomized crossover trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of high-voltage electrical stimulation (HVES), continuous short wave diathermy, and physical exercise on arterial blood flow in the lower limbs of diabetic women with peripheral arterial disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A crossover study was carried out involving 15 diabetic women (mean age of 77.87 ± 6.20 years) with a diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease. One session of each therapeutic resource was held, with a 7-day washout period between protocols. Blood flow velocity was evaluated before each session and 0, 20, 40 and 60 minutes after the administration of each protocol. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni post hoc test was used for the intragroup and intergroup comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the intragroup analysis, a significant reduction (P < .05) was found in blood flow velocity in the femoral and popliteal arteries over time with HVES and physical exercise and in the posterior tibial artery with the physical exercise protocol. However, no significant differences were found in the intergroup analysis (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proximal blood circulation in the lower limb of diabetic women with peripheral arterial disease was increased by a single session of HVES and physical exercise, whereas distal circulation was only increased with physical exercise.
authors.affiliation: Professor, Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: ecguirro@fmrp.usp.br.
authors.forename: Elaine Caldeira de Oliveira
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Guirro
authors.affiliation: Professor, Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rinaldo Roberto de Jesus
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Guirro
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Student, Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Almir Vieira
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Dibai-Filho
authors.affiliation: Undergraduate Student, School of Health Sciences, Methodist University of Piracicaba, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Siane Cristina Santarosa
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Pascote
authors.affiliation: Professor, Postgraduate Program in Physiotherapy, Methodist University of Piracicaba, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Delaine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodrigues-Bigaton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000628:therapy*; D003972:Diathermy; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Diabetes Mellitus; Electrical Stimulation Therapy; Hyperthermia; Induced; Short-Wave Therapy