Diabetic Ulcers
Healing promotion of diabetic ulcers was verified in the study published in 2015 (Kwan et al.). Non-healingulcers are not only the main reason for amputations of lower limbs, but also of high mortality of diabetic patients.
Thirteen subjects (7 in the pulsed magnetic field therapy group and 6 in the control group) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and had unsatisfactory healing of ulcer(s) in the preceding 4 weeks were recruited for this study. Subjects were randomly allocated to receive either active pulsed magnetic field therapy (duration: 60 minutes; frequency: 12 Hz; intensity: 12 Gauss) or nonactive pulsed magnetic field therapy (control group) for 14 sessions within 3 weeks. Assessment on wound closure, wound depth, and microcirculation were performed at the baseline, end of the treatment period, and 1-month follow-up.
By the end of the treatment period, there was an 18% decrease in wound size in the active pulsed magnetic field therapy group as compared with a 10% decrease in the control group. The pulsed magnetic field therapy group demonstrated significant cumulative increase in cutaneous capillary blood velocity (by 28%) and 14% increase in capillary diameter. In contrast, the control group showed a decrease in both capillary blood velocity and diameter.
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study thus again confirmed that treatment with pulsed magnetic therapy can significantly improve microcirculation and accelerate healing of ulcers in diabetic patients.
Reference: Kwan, R. L.-C. et al. (2015) Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy promotes healing and microcirculation of chronic diabetic foot ulcers. Advances in Skin and Wound Care. [Online] 28 (5), 212–219.