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Transcranial laser therapy for acute ischaemic stroke
Haoyang He1,2,3, Zhimeng Zhang1, Hengshu Chen1,2,3
1Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|July 24, 2025
Summary
Transcranial laser therapy shows no clear benefit for acute ischaemic stroke outcomes. This treatment offers little to no difference in functional outcomes or mortality compared to sham treatment, with uncertain effects on adverse events.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Medical Technology
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Ischaemic stroke is a major global cause of death and disability.
- Limited effective treatment options exist for improving stroke outcomes.
- Transcranial laser therapy (TLT) has been explored, but its efficacy and safety remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the benefits and harms of TLT for functional outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke patients.
- To assess the equity of TLT in this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Included 1420 participants with acute ischaemic stroke treated within 24 hours.
- Compared 808-nm wavelength TLT with sham treatment, assessing outcomes at 90 days.
Main Results:
- High-certainty evidence shows TLT results in little to no difference in unfavourable functional outcomes (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.02).
- Low-certainty evidence suggests little to no difference in all-cause mortality (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.28).
- Low-certainty evidence indicates TLT may slightly reduce serious adverse events (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.96), but overall adverse events showed little difference.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence indicates no clear benefit or harm from TLT in acute ischaemic stroke.
- Further high-quality RCTs are necessary to confirm efficacy, optimize treatment, and identify potential beneficiaries.
