Venous leg ulcer
Conditions
Interventions
Twenty volunteers presenting lower limb venous leg ulcer will be divided in two experimental groups. One of the groups (10 patients) will be effectively treated with therapeutic ultrasound in the freq
other
E02.779
Sponsors
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes
Eligibility
Age
18 Years to 90 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Unhealed venous ulcer with at least eight weeks of duration Ankle-brachial index equal or higher than 0,8 Without signs of venous ulcer infecction Without previous diagnosis of connective tissue disease that may interfere in the healing process Without contraindication for ultrasound use
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Wound infecction Exclusion by patient request
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Decrease in the area of lower limb venous ulcer measured by an image editing software. The outline corresponding to the edges of lower limb venous ulcer will be digitized and its area will be measured in square centimeters before and after treatment using ultrasonic waves.;Decrease in metalloproteinase (MMP) type 2 and 9 gene expression and/or activity in samples taken from lower limb venous ulcer exsudate. The MMPs expression will be assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and MMP and MMPs activity assessed by zymography. The biological sample will be collected before the first and after the last treatment using ultrasonic waves. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Pain intensity will be assessed by a visual analog scale. Pain intensity is expected to decrease or maintain pre-treatment levels.;Quality of life will be assessed by the quality of life questionnaires SF-36 and Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study (VEINES). The indexes of quality of life are expect to improve after the treatment. | — |
Countries
Brazil
Contacts
Public ContactFernando Augusto Dias
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
Outcome results
None listed