Electromagnetic field stimulation for long-term mobility assessment after sciatic nerve injury.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Gauss (G) or miliTesla (mT) units measure electromagnetic field (EMF) stimulation. Tarlov Scale (TS) assesses motor impairment, Finger Abduction Scale (FAS) measures finger separation. The objective is to evaluate mobility using EMF in a Sciatic Nerve Injury (SNI) model. MATERIALS & METHODS: SNI caused paresis in the right hind limb to observe motor changes in male Sprague-Dawley rats (372-529 g) ( = 30). Three groups of ( = 10) rats were created. Control Group (CG) was just injured. The experimental groups were EMF-treated two hours a day for four weeks (2/24, 5/7, 4/4), applying Gauss intensities: Low-Intensity (LIMF) 60-100 (6-10 mT) & High-Intensity (HIMF) 140-200 (14-20 mT). The mobility was measured each week with TS & FAS. Sciatic nerve & skeletal muscle histological slides were made with traditional staining technique to evaluate cellular inflammation. We used two-tailed repeated ANOVA measures & Bonferroni tests, with a significance  < 0.05 (α = 0.05) and β = 80%. RESULTS: EMFs effectively treat SNI in rats, improving the mobility of the right hind limb in experimental groups. In the last week, TS scores were CG 3.5 (±1.35)  = 0.006, LIMF 4 (±0)  = 0.0001 & HIMF 4.3 (±0.82)  = 0.02. FAS scores were CG 0.2 (±0.42)  = 0.000001, LIMF 1.5 (±0.70)  = 0.05 & HIMF 1.8 (±0.42)  = 0.1. In histological findings, CG had inflammation in nerve & muscle, LIMF & HIMF diminished cellular activity. DISCUSSION: TS & FAS helped to improve mobility in experimental groups using EMFs after SNI. The nerve repairing mechanism should be studied in future models.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

In a rat sciatic nerve injury model, EMF-treated groups (low- and high-intensity) showed improved TS and FAS mobility-related scores compared with injured controls over 4 weeks. Histology indicated inflammation in controls, while EMF-treated groups showed diminished cellular activity/inflammation in nerve and muscle.

Outcomes measured

• Mobility/motor impairment (Tarlov Scale, TS)
• Finger separation (Finger Abduction Scale, FAS)
• Histological inflammation/cellular activity in sciatic nerve and skeletal muscle

Limitations

• Animal model; findings may not generalize to humans
• EMF frequency and waveform not reported in abstract
• No sham-exposure group described (control was injured only)
• Short follow-up duration (4 weeks)

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": null,
        "source": "electromagnetic field stimulation (experimental treatment)",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "2 hours/day for 4 weeks"
    },
    "population": "Male Sprague-Dawley rats with sciatic nerve injury model",
    "sample_size": 30,
    "outcomes": [
        "Mobility/motor impairment (Tarlov Scale, TS)",
        "Finger separation (Finger Abduction Scale, FAS)",
        "Histological inflammation/cellular activity in sciatic nerve and skeletal muscle"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In a rat sciatic nerve injury model, EMF-treated groups (low- and high-intensity) showed improved TS and FAS mobility-related scores compared with injured controls over 4 weeks. Histology indicated inflammation in controls, while EMF-treated groups showed diminished cellular activity/inflammation in nerve and muscle.",
    "effect_direction": "benefit",
    "limitations": [
        "Animal model; findings may not generalize to humans",
        "EMF frequency and waveform not reported in abstract",
        "No sham-exposure group described (control was injured only)",
        "Short follow-up duration (4 weeks)"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "electromagnetic field stimulation",
        "EMF",
        "Gauss",
        "milliTesla",
        "sciatic nerve injury",
        "Sprague-Dawley rats",
        "Tarlov Scale",
        "Finger Abduction Scale",
        "mobility",
        "inflammation",
        "histology"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

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