Effectiveness of iontophoresis of anti-inflammatory medications in the treatment of common musculoskeletal inflammatory conditions: a systematic review

Abstract

Iontophoresis of anti-inflammatory medication is a treatment option for many common inflammatory conditions of the musculoskeletal system. The medical rationale of applying anti-inflammatory medication to inflamed target tissues is medically sound, but some clinicians are reluctant to use iontophoresis for delivery of anti-inflammatory medication. Modern healthcare insists on evidence-based practice. Therefore, a need exists to evaluate the primary research on the effectiveness of iontophoresis of anti-inflammatory medication. A systematic review of literature employs rigorous and explicit methods in the evaluation of scientific literature. Guyatt et al. [Guyatt GH, Sackett DL, Cook DJ. User guide to medical literature. II. How to use an article about therapy and prevention, are the results of the study valid? JAMA 1993;290:59–63] developed a screening tool specific to rating the validity of articles about therapy. This systematic review of the studies of iontophoresis of anti-inflammatories in the treatment of musculoskeletal pathologies used a modified Guyatt tool to assess current clinical investigations.

Keywords:

• IONTOPHORESIS
• EPICONDYLITIS
• ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATION
• SYSTEMATIC REVIEW