title: Effect of high-voltage electrical stimulation on the albumin and histamine serum concentrations, edema, and pain in acute joint inflammation of rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mechanism by which high-voltage electrical stimulation (HVPC) acts on edema reduction is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of HVPC with negative polarity (-) applied to the ankle of rats with acute joint inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four rats were divided into four groups (n=16): inflamed+HVPC(-), 0.03 mL application of ι-carrageenan (3%) to the tibiotarsal joint plus HVPC(-); inflamed+HVPC placebo, carrageenan application and HVPC placebo; normal+HVPC(-), HVPC application(-); and normal control, no intervention. The HVPC(-) 100 Hz at a submotor level was applied daily for 45 min on three consecutive days. The variables were pain, hind-foot volume, and serum histamine and albumin assessed before and during the 48 hours following inflammation. The variables were compared using the t test, one-way ANOVA, nested ANOVA for repeated measures, and the post hoc Bonferroni test. Analysis of covariance was applied to adjust the effects of HVPC(-) by measurements of pain, inflammation, albumin, and histamine at 24 h, and the final weight was compared to the other groups. The significance level was set at p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between the inflamed+HVPC(-) and inflamed+HVPC placebo groups in terms of pain or edema (p>0.05). Albumin was reduced in the groups that received the intervention, but there was no differences between them. There was only a 24 hour increase in histamine with the normal+HVPC(-) (p=0.0001) and inflamed+HVPC placebo groups (p=0.01) compared to the normal control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study suggest that HVPC(-) with the parameters employed did not reduce pain or edema and did not change serum albumin or histamine levels,, which indicates the inability of this resource to have a positive effect when treating treat acute joint inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Fisioterapia, Universidade Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colômbia.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.affiliation: Escola de Fisioterapia, Universidade Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colômbia.
authors.forename: Carolina R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Escola de Fisioterapia, Universidade Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colômbia.
authors.forename: Diana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tania F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Salvini
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004487:Edema / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006632:Histamine / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D006632:Histamine