Percutaneous Electrolysis in Patients with Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of disability and loss of quality of life with a great economic impact. Percutaneous electrolysis is a minimally invasive technique with emerging evidence related to these pathologies. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of percutaneous electrolysis for musculoskeletal pain. Methods: A randomized clinical trials concerning percutaneous electrolysis were searched in the following electronic databases: PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and ScienceDirect. Methodological quality was evaluated according to PEDro score. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. These procedures were carried out by two independent researchers, with the participation of a third reviewer in case of disagreement. Results: Electronic databases searches identified a total of 175 results. After the study selection procedure, 7 studies published from 2015 to 2018 were finally included in the present review. These articles involved a total of 407 patients with different musculoskeletal disorders. Clinical outcomes were evaluated for pain and disability, usually reporting greater improvements in the group with percutaneous electrolysis. The mean score of PEDro scale was 7 points and overall risk of bias was generally reported as high. Conclusion: Percutaneous electrolysis appears to be an effective therapy for the improvement of pain and disability in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. However, the heterogeneity and the high risk of bias of the included studies should be taken into account. Further research is warranted to standardise percutaneous electrolysis application and generate protocols that would improve clinical outcomes.