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Low-Level Laser Therapy for Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Shahryar Rajai Firouzabadi1, Ida Mohammadi1, Aryan Aarabi1
1School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
|April 25, 2024
Summary
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may alleviate allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms and improve quality of life, but its effectiveness compared to placebo requires further investigation. More high-quality trials are needed to confirm LLLT
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Allergy and Immunology
- Photomedicine
Background:
- Allergic rhinitis (AR) significantly impacts quality of life and is often inadequately managed by conventional therapies.
- Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) presents potential anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive benefits for AR treatment.
- This study systematically reviews and meta-analyzes the efficacy of LLLT for allergic rhinitis.
Approach:
- A comprehensive search of major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) was performed.
- Included studies focused on LLLT for AR, with meta-analyses of nasal symptoms and quality of life scores.
- Pairwise meta-analyses compared LLLT against placebo, acupuncture, steroids/antihistamines, and UV lasers.
Key Points:
- LLLT demonstrated significant alleviation of nasal symptoms (SMD: -1.4) and improved quality of life (SMD: -0.72) in AR patients.
- However, LLLT showed no significant improvement over placebo for nasal symptoms (SMD: -0.69, p=0.167), suggesting a potential placebo effect.
- Limited data exists for comparisons with other treatments, though LLLT appears less effective than UV lasers.
Conclusions:
- LLLT shows promise for reducing AR symptomology with a low incidence of adverse events.
- Further high-quality studies are essential to validate LLLT's superiority over placebo.
- Non-inferiority clinical trials are needed to compare LLLT efficacy against established AR treatments.
