Dose-response effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Riassunto dello studio

36 randomized controlled trials including 2518 patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) with placebo, no intervention, or other active treatments. Pooled analyses assessed pain reduction and examined the influence of comparator type, stimulation frequency, intensity, session duration, and number of sessions. Overall, TENS was not significantly superior to all comparators, although sensitivity analysis excluding two influential trials demonstrated a small significant analgesic effect. TENS was more effective than control/placebo, and sessions lasting ≥40 minutes produced greater pain relief, whereas frequency, intensity, and number of sessions did not significantly moderate treatment effects. These findings suggest that appropriate TENS delivery, particularly adequate session duration, may provide short-term analgesia for patients with KOA.