Analysis of the Effects of LED Phototherapy and Electrical Stimulation in the Healing of Diabetic Ulcers

Summary

One of the important complications of DM is the diabetic foot that may present ulcers, which result from multiple risk factors, being diabetic peripheral neuropathy and ischemia due to peripheral vascular disease considered the main causes. In this way, the ulcers of the lower extremities of diabetics, have a complex and long cicatrization process. Faced with this, the treatment of chronic wounds is challenging, the diversity of treatments is great, however the search for new modalities of effective therapeutic resources, scientifically proven and financially feasible, that are available and easily accessible for clinical practice is still desirable . The aim of this study was to evaluate the responses of phototherapy with light emitting diodes (LED) and electrical stimulation with the fixed diphasic current (DF) in ulcers of diabetic patients. Diabetic volunteers who present with chronic skin ulcers will also be randomized (n = 13) to: Treatment group with LED 620 nm, Treatment group with LED 940 nm, Treatment group with fixed diphasic current and Control group. Interventions will occur three times a week for 12 weeks and evaluations will occur on the 1st, 30th, 60th, and 90th day of the intervention, followed by follow-up after 30 days of treatment completion.

Conditions

• Ulcer
• Diabetes Mellitus

Interventions

DEVICE

Light emitting diodes (LED)

The light-emitting diode (LED) device consists of a soft 15 x 15 cm blanket, which allows the body segment curvature of the cutaneous lesion to be monitored. The LEDs are fixed equidistant to obtain uniform irradiation over the entire ulcer. The wound site will be surrounded by a PVC film (polyvinyl chloride), to avoid contamination, for posterior positioning of the LED device, applying light directly and perpendicularly, with energy density of 6 J / cm². All LEDs will be calibrated prior to the start of applications in the Laboratory of Photobiophysics of the Faculty of Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, in which the wavelengths will be checked, the angle of radiation, power and power density.

DEVICE

Fixed diphasic current

The electrical stimulation treatment will be performed with the fixed diphasic current of the Dualpex 071 equipment (Quark®, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil), with the monopolar technique, 100 Hz, maximum intensity of 1 mA / cm² of lesion for 10 minutes. Autoclave sterilized aluminum electrodes will be used, one on the lesion (negative pole) and the other transversal to the segment (positive pole). The size of the electrode will be proportional to the extension of the lesion, having as a means of contact between the electrode and the ulcer, sterile gauze moistened with 0.9% saline solution.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Sao Paulo

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Rinaldo Guirro, PhD · University of Sao Paulo

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

30 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-09-01

Primary Completion

2020-06-30

Completion

2021-06-30

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations