Electromagnetic shock wave therapy in dermatology: Microscopic analysis of its interaction with the possible reduction of adipose tissue in obese individuals

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a disease that affects public health worldwide due to its comorbidities and premature death risk. Therefore, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) technology can help treat and prevent its comorbidities.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess whether ESWT can stimulate lipolysis and/or apoptosis of the fat cells of obese individuals.
METHODS: This is a comparative interventional study based on immunohistochemical analyzes of a set of subcutaneous tissue samples from women with obesity submitted to ESWT treatment. The biological material was collected at the time of bariatric surgery.
RESULTS: The survey included 14 obese women. Positivity was shown in the expression of Casp3 (p<0.0001), cCasp3 (p<0.0024), CD68+ macrophages (p<0.0001), HSL (p<0.0001), and adipophilin (p<0.0013) in the intervention sample compared to the control.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that ESWT stimulates apoptosis with consequent autophagic lipolysis in the adipose tissue of obese women. Thus, ESWT can be considered useful, safe, and promising adjuvant therapy for reducing adipose tissue and, consequently, for preventing and/or treating obesity.

Keywords: Dermatology; Obesity; High-Energy Shock Waves; Apoptosis