Efficacy of capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency in the physiotherapeutic treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is a multifactorial disorder that affects 5.7% to 26.6% of women and 2.2% to 9.7% of men, characterized by hypersensitivity of the central and peripheral nervous system affecting bladder and genital function. People with CPPS have much higher rates of psychological disorders (anxiety, depression, and catastrophizing) that increase the severity of chronic pain and worsen quality of life. Myofascial therapy, manual therapy, and treatment of trigger points are proven therapeutic options for this syndrome. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency (CRMRF) at 448 kHz as an adjunct treatment to other physiotherapeutic techniques for reducing pain and improving the quality of life of patients with CPPS.

METHODS

This triple-blind (1:1) randomized controlled trial will include 80 women and men with CPPS. Participants will be randomized into a CRMRF activated group or a CRMRF deactivated group and receive physiotherapeutic techniques and pain education. The groups will undergo treatment for 10 consecutive weeks. At the beginning of the trial there will be an evaluation of pain intensity (using VAS), quality of life (using the SF-12), kinesiophobia (using the TSK-11), and catastrophism (using the PCS), as well as at the sixth and tenth sessions.

DISCUSSION

The results of this study will show that CRMRF benefits the treatment of patients with CPPS, together with physiotherapeutic techniques and pain education. These results could offer an alternative conservative treatment option for these patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03797911 . Registered on 8 January 2019.

[Ofujis papuloerythroderma. Presentation of 3 cases and review of its concept and etiology]

Ofuji's papuloerythroderma is not a specific clinical entity, but a concequence of numerous inflammatory dermatoses and neoplasms. Some authors advocate that it is possible to find this erupcion in elderly patients with different types of erythroderma of known or unknown origin. It is necessary to recognize this condition since these patients can develop a lymphoma in the future. In this article three atopic patients are described with clinical lesions of papuloerythroderma respecting the cutaneous folds, with eosinophilia, increase of the IgE levels and histological characteristics of atopic eczema. We think that atopic dermatitis should be considered in the etiologic study of patients with papuloerythroderma.

[Social inequities in the use of primary care services: a long way to go]

OBJECTIVE

To describe the relation between the main variables related with social inequality and the utilization of primary care services.

METHODS

Socio-demographic variables and the number of consultations were collected in a cross-sectional study.

RESULTS

264 subjects were interviewed. 66% of the population belonged to social classes IV and V. There was statistical signification between age and number of visits (p = 0.0014) and between number of visits and monoparental families (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the attended population belonged to the low and middle socio-economic levels. The relationship between non-structured families and hyper-utilization and the relationship between age and hyper-utilization is confirmed.

[Is general screening for anemia and iron deficiency justified in nursing infants?]

OBJECTIVE

To establish the necessity of anemia and iron deficiency screening in breast-feeders in our environment.

DESIGN

A crossover study, after data collection from case records.

SETTING AND PATIENTS

93 children of 18 and 24 months living in a urban area. All of them are included in the Healthy Breast-feeder Programme of the Health Center of Teruel city.

INTERVENTIONS

Detection in venous blood of hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, transferrin saturation and ferritin in serum.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We founded a 1.1% of anemia with iron deficiency and a 3.4% of latent iron deficiency. We detected a total of 5.4% cases of iron deficiency. We didn't find any statistical significance when comparing the haematic values among children who had received different kinds of milk nor in relation with the time in which they got it. We didn't find either any differences when comparing such values among those who had received iron prophylaxis and those in which this treatment was not considered necessary.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore we suggest selective iron prophylaxis for risk groups and laboratory studies only in those with evident signs of anemia or iron deficiency.