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Customized Photobiomodulation Modulates Pain and Alters Thermography Pattern in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A
Nathali Cordeiro Pinto1,2, Marcelo Victor Pires de1,3,4, Nathalia Lopes Ferreira5,6
1Bright Photomedicine Ltd., São Paulo, Brazil.
Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery
|October 26, 2022
Summary
Customized photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) effectively reduced pain and improved quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). This individualized approach offers a promising non-pharmacological treatment option for OA pain management.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Pain Management
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, but outcomes vary due to inconsistent dosimetry.
- Individualized dosimetry for PBMT may overcome variability and improve therapeutic efficacy.
- Osteoarthritis (OA) pain management remains a significant clinical challenge, necessitating novel treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of individualized dosimetry for PBMT in managing chronic knee OA pain.
- To assess the impact of personalized PBMT on pain reduction, quality of life, and physiological markers in OA patients.
Main Methods:
- A parallel, two-arm, controlled pilot study involving 31 patients with painful chronic knee OA.
- Patients were randomized to receive either personalized PBMT (850 nm, continuous wave) or sham irradiation twice weekly for 5 weeks.
- Individualized dosimetry was determined by patient's body mass index and skin color; QOL, serum/urine analyses, and pain scores were assessed pre- and post-treatment.
Main Results:
- Significant pain reduction was observed in the PBMT group from the 4th session onwards, persisting for 6 weeks post-therapy compared to placebo.
- The PBMT group showed improvements in Quality of Life (QOL) scores, dopamine levels, and microcirculation.
- Individualized dosimetry in PBMT led to enhanced pain relief and functional improvement in knee OA patients.
Conclusions:
- Customized photobiomodulation (PBM) shows initial evidence of reducing short- and medium-term pain in symptomatic knee OA patients compared to placebo.
- Personalized PBM is effective in improving the quality of life for patients suffering from knee OA.
- Individualized dosimetry represents a promising approach for optimizing PBMT protocols in pain management.
