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A Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effect of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Chronic Diabetic Foot Wound Healing: A Preliminary Report.
Kaviani A, Djavid GE, Ataie-Fashtami L, Fateh M, Ghodsi M, Salami M, Zand N, Kashef N, Larijani B.
Photomed Laser Surg. 2011 Jan 9. [Epub ahead of print]
Quote:
Background and Objectives: Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been shown to promote chronic wound healing in conditions of reduced microcirculation. In this preliminary study, we report the results of using LLLT to heal foot ulcers in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-three patients with a diabetic foot wound for at least 3 months were included in this double-blind randomized clinical trial. Patients were randomized to receive placebo treatment (n = 10) or LLLT (n = 13) (685 nm, energy density 10 J/cm(2)) in addition to conventional therapy. Patients were followed for 20 weeks. Ulcer size reduction and the number of patients with complete healing were compared between the LLLT and placebo groups.
Results: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics of patients and foot ulcers receiving LLLT and placebo treatment. At week 4, the size of ulcers decreased significantly in the LLLT group (p = 0.04). After 20 weeks, in the LLLT group, eight patients had complete healing and in the placebo group only three patients experienced complete wound healing. The mean time of complete healing in LLLT patients (11 weeks) was less than that in placebo patients (14 weeks) though the difference was not statistically significant.
Conclusions: The study provides evidence that LLLT can accelerate the healing process of chronic diabetic foot ulcers, and it can be presumed that LLLT may shorten the time period needed to achieve complete healing.
Background and objectives: Non-healing ulcers represent a significant dermatological problem. Recently, conventional therapy-resistant chronic ulcers have been treated with low energy lasers or light-emitting diodes in the visible and near IR region, but only a few placebo-controlled double-blind studies have been performed to support the efficacy of this approach. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a broadband (400-800 nm) visible light device in the treatment of leg or foot ulcers. Methods: A placebo-controlled double-blind study using broadband light source (400-800 nm) was performed on patients with diabetic foot ulcers or patients with chronic leg ulcers. The treatment group was illuminated with 180 mW/cm(2) broadband light twice a day for 4 min/session, while patients in the placebo group received non- healing light fluency (10 mW/cm(2)) projections. The treatment group included 10 patients with a total of 19 ulcers, whereas in the placebo group, 6 patients had 6 ulcers. The follow-up period was 12 weeks. Results: At the end of the follow up, all the wounds were closed in 9 out of 10 patients (90%) from the treatment group, whereas in the placebo group only 2 out of 6 patients exhibited closed wounds (33%). The reduction in wound size in the treatment group versus the placebo group was 89% and 54%, respectively. Conclusions: In this small scale placebo-controlled double-blind study, broadband (400-800 nm) visible light was an effective modality for the treatment of leg or foot ulcers.