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The effect of an applied electric field on macrophage accumulation within the subacute spinal injury.

Restorative neurology and neuroscience · 1999 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 4005

In a rat spinal cord injury model, an applied extracellular voltage gradient did not alter the number or density of ED1-positive macrophage accumulations in the three-week lesion compared with sham treatment. There was also no difference in the degree of cavi…

Study snapshot

PublicationRestorative neurology and neuroscience · 1999
Study typeanimal
Reported directionNo effect
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Macrophages are implicated to play a substantive role in the acute inflammatory reaction to CNS insult in the delayed progressive secondary damage to parenchyma, espacially myelin. When placed in an electrical field in vitro, macrophages show directed pseudopodial extensions and migrate towards the positive pole (anode). We have evaluated if ED1 positive macrophage accumulations in rat spinal cord injuries were affected by the applied extracellular voltage, comparing their numbers to a sham treated group. Our hypothesis was that the applied voltage may reduce the concentration of phagocytes in the central injury and thus reduce the level of secondary damage produced by them. The applied voltage gradient did not alter the number or density of macrophage accumulations in the three week lesion, nor is there any difference in the degree of cavitation between control and experimental groups.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal
Effect directionno_effect
PopulationRats with spinal cord injuries
Sample sizeNot supplied
Exposurethree week lesion (assessment at 3 weeks)
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In a rat spinal cord injury model, an applied extracellular voltage gradient did not alter the number or density of ED1-positive macrophage accumulations in the three-week lesion compared with sham treatment. There was also no difference in the degree of cavitation between control and experimental groups.

Outcomes measured

  • ED1-positive macrophage accumulation number/density in spinal cord lesion
  • Degree of cavitation in lesion

Limitations

  • No sample size reported in abstract
  • Electric field parameters (magnitude, waveform/frequency) not reported in abstract
  • Outcome assessment limited to three-week lesion and cavitation; other functional or histological outcomes not described
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "applied electric field (extracellular voltage gradient)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "three week lesion (assessment at 3 weeks)"
  },
  "population": "Rats with spinal cord injuries",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "ED1-positive macrophage accumulation number/density in spinal cord lesion",
    "Degree of cavitation in lesion"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In a rat spinal cord injury model, an applied extracellular voltage gradient did not alter the number or density of ED1-positive macrophage accumulations in the three-week lesion compared with sham treatment. There was also no difference in the degree of cavitation between control and experimental groups.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "No sample size reported in abstract",
    "Electric field parameters (magnitude, waveform/frequency) not reported in abstract",
    "Outcome assessment limited to three-week lesion and cavitation; other functional or histological outcomes not described"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electric field",
    "extracellular voltage gradient",
    "macrophages",
    "ED1",
    "spinal cord injury",
    "rat",
    "cavitation",
    "inflammation"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}
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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: Not supplied
PubMed: 12671271

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