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Table 1 Characteristics of included articles

From: Effect of electrical stimulation on patients with diabetes-related ulcers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Author, publication year, and Country

RCT Design

Participants

Sample size

Age (years), mean ± SD

Male, n (%)

ES type

Length of follow up (weeks)

ES arm, n

Control arm, n

ES arm

Control arm

Lundeberg et al. 1992, Sweden [15]

Parallel, placebo

Patients with diabetic leg ulcers

24

27

67.5 ± 8.6

66.0 ± 7.9

36 (70.6)

Pulsed current

12

Baker et al. 1997, USA [16]

Parallel, no placebo

Patients with diabetic open ulcers

21

20

58.0 ± 2.0

52.0 ± 2.0

41 (67.2)

Pulsed current (symmetric biphasic)

8

20

50.0 ± 2.0

Pulsed current (square-wave pulse)

Peters et al. 2001, Netherlands [17]

Parallel, placebo

Patients with diabetic foot ulcers

18

17

54.4 ± 12.4

59.9 ± 7.0

32 (91.4)

Pulsed current

12

Petrofsky et al. 2007, USA [18]

Parallel, placebo

Patients with diabetic foot or leg ulcers

10

10

64.7 ± 13.2

63.0 ± 7.6

Not specified

Pulsed current+ global heat

12

9

62.0 ± 7.7

Pulsed current+ local heat

Petrofsky et al. 2010, USA [19]

Parallel, no placebo

Patients with foot chronic diabetic ulcers

10

10

48.4 ± 14.6

Not specified

Pulsed current

4

Liani et al. 2014, Italy [20]

Parallel, no placebo

Patients with diabetic foot ischemic lesions

29

27

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Pulsed current

7

Mohajeri-Tehrani et al. 2014, Iran [23]

Parallel, placebo

Patients with diabetic foot ulceration

10

10

57 ± 3.2

56.1 ± 2.9

17 (85.0)

direct current

4

Ortíz et al. 2014, Colombia [21]

Parallel, no placebo

Patients with diabetic distal legs or feet ulcers

10

9

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Pulsed current

9

Asadi et al. 2017, Iran [22]

Parallel, no placebo

Patients with ischemic diabetic foot ulcerations

13

11

60.8 ± 5.5

60.1 ± 6.4

14 (58.3)

Direct current

4

Zulbaran-Rojas et al. 2021, USA [24]

Parallel,

placebo

Patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2 with chronic non-healing wounds

16

17

65.1 ± 13.8

61.4 ± 11.2

21 (61.8)

Direct current

Not specified

  1. Abbreviation: SD Standard deviation, ES Electrical stimulation, RCT Randomized controlled trial