Background: Equipment that acts in the reduction in adipose tissue are becoming widely investigated. One of the resources that begin to gain recognition is radiofrequency.
Purpose: To verify the existence of scientific evidence and the methodological quality of the articles on the effects of radiofrequency in the reduction in adipose tissue.
Methodology: Systematic review with meta-analysis on the effects of radiofrequency on adipose tissue. The research was carried out using several databases and including experimental studies only in humans. The evaluation of the methodological quality of the articles was done based on the PEDro Scale.
Results: Twelve articles related with adipose tissue and cellulitis were included. There was a great variability of protocols, and the methodological quality was generally low and the methods most used for the evaluation of results were anthropometry, photography, and histopathology. Clinical results suggest a positive effect of radiofrequency on the reduction in adipose tissue, proving an increase in adipocyte lipolysis. After statistical analysis, it was verified that the anthropometry presented questionable results.
Conclusion: The clinical results of the studies point to the positive effects of radiofrequency on the reduction in adipose tissue; however, the low methodological make this topic still debatable, requiring more controlled studies.
Keywords: adipose tissue; cellulitis; lipolysis; radiofrequency.
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