title: Venous leg ulcer healing with electric stimulation therapy: a pilot randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Compression therapy is a gold standard treatment to promote venous leg ulcer (VLU) healing. Concordance with compression therapy is, however, often sub-optimal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of electric stimulation therapy (EST) to facilitate healing of VLUs among people who do not use moderate-to-high levels of compression (>25 mmHg).
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot multicentre, single-blinded randomised controlled trial was conducted. Participants were randomised (2:1) to the intervention group or a control group where EST or a sham device was used 4 times daily for 20 minutes per session. Participants were monitored fortnightly for eight weeks. The primary outcome measure was percentage of area (wound size) change.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 23 patients recruited, an average redution in wound size of 23.15% (standard deviation [SD]: 61.23) was observed for the control group compared with 32.67 % (SD: 42.54) for the intervention. A moderate effect size favouring the intervention group was detected from univariate [F(1,18)=1.588, p=0.224, partial eta squared=0.081] and multivariate repeated measures [F(1,18)=2.053, p=0.169, partial eta squared=0.102] analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pilot study was not powered to detect statistical significance, however, the difference in healing outcomes are encouraging. EST may be an effective adjunct treatment among patients who have experienced difficulty adhering to moderate-to-high levels of compression therapy.
authors.affiliation: La Trobe University, School of Nursing & Midwifery, La Trobe University, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: La Trobe University/Alfred Health, School of Nursing & Midwifery, La Trobe University, Australia.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McGuiness
authors.affiliation: La Trobe University, School of Nursing & Midwifery, La Trobe University, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: La Trobe University/Austin Health, School of Nursing & Midwifery, La Trobe University, Australia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Nurse Practitioner Wound Management, South West Healthcare, Warrnambool. Vic 3280, Australia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.affiliation: Goulburn Valley Health, Home Nursing Services, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.affiliation: Flinders University, Lymphoedema Clinical Research Unit, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Australia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Piller
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne, Continuing Care, Austin Health, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woodward
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D053828:Stockings, Compression; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: compression therapy; concordance; electric stimulation therapy; venous leg ulcer; wound healing