Aiyejusunle CB, Akinbo SRA and Faminu JA
Background and objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of physical and psychosocial disabilities in people characterised by pain and joint dysfunctions which hinder their daily and social activities as well as quality of sleep. Iontophoresis, involving the transference of drugs transdermally, is one of the novel therapeutic modalities for managing OA .The objective of this study was to determine the effect of diclofenac sodium iontophoresis on pain, functional ability and quality of sleep in people with knee osteoarthritis.
Method: Twenty (20) participants (5 males, 15 females; mean age 55 years) with knee OA were recruited for this study. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups. Group A was treated with diclofenac sodium iontophoresis in addition to exercises. Group B, the control group, received only exercises. Each group was treated for duration of 4 weeks, comprising 2 treatment sessions per week. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Ibadan Knee/Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Assessment Measure (IKHOAM) and the Medical Outcome Study (MOS) Sleep Scale were used to assess pain, functional ability and quality of sleep, respectively.
Result: Significant improvement occurred in both groups post-treatment (experimental group p=0.029, 0.001 and 0.004 respectively. Control group: p=0.04, 0.001). However, Group A had more improvement (p=0.023, 0.04, 0.02) in pain, functional ability and quality of sleep when compared to Group B.
Conclusion: This study revealed that there is a significant pain reduction, improved functional ability and quality of sleep in people with osteoarthritis when treated with diclofenac sodium iontophoresis.
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