Effects of low-level laser therapy on pain in patients with musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Clijsen R, Brunner A, Barbero M, Clarys P, Taeymans J
European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine · 83 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Meta-analysis (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2017-08-01 · Eur J Phys Rehabil Med · vol. 53 · issue 4 · pp. 603–610
- Publisher
- Edizioni Minerva Medica
- Cited
- 148 citations · more than 97% of similar papers · 6.1× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 29 works
- Access
- Open access (repository copy) · OTHER-OA
- Research areas
- Laser Applications in Dentistry and Medicine · Medical and Biological Ozone Research · Oral health in cancer treatment
- Keywords
- Medicine, Meta-analysis, Subgroup analysis, Low level laser therapy, Random effects model, Physical therapy, MEDLINE, Laser therapy, Study heterogeneity, Internal medicine
- MeSH
- humans, musculoskeletal diseases, pain, pain measurement, treatment outcome, risk assessment, follow-up studies, evidence-based medicine, female, male, low-level light therapy
5 authors
From BE, CH
- Ron Clijsen · correspondingVrije Universiteit Brussel; University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland; THIM van der Laan University College Physiotherapy
- Anina BrunnerUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
- Marco BarberoUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
- Peter ClarysVrije Universiteit Brussel
- Jan TaeymansBern University of Applied Sciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Abstract
Introduction
This meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on pain in adult patients with musculoskeletal disorders.
Evidence acquisition
A systematic literature search was conducted in the Medline and PEDro databases. Two researchers independently screened titles and abstracts of the retrieved studies for eligibility. Quality assessment of the eligible studies was conducted using the PEDro rating scale. Studies that scored ≥4 were included. A random-effects model was used for this meta-analysis. Subgroup meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate the influence of the adherence of the applied LLLT to the World Association of Laser Therapy (WALT) guidelines, the anatomical site under investigation and the study design on the overall weighted mean effect size. Meta regression was used to assess the possible influence of the study quality on the individual study effect sizes.
Evidence synthesis
Eighteen studies allowing for 21 head-to-head comparisons (totaling N.=1462 participants) were included. The pooled raw mean difference (D) in pain between LLLT and the control groups was -0.85 (95% CI: -1.22 to -0.48). There was high (I²=85.6%) and significant between study heterogeneity (Cochran's Q =139.2; df=20; P<0.001). The subgroup meta-analysis of the comparisons not following the WALT guidelines revealed a D=-0.68 (95% CI: -1.09 to -0.27). In this group, heterogeneity decreased to I²=72.6% (Q=51.2; df=14; P<0.001). In the WALT subgroup D equaled -1.52 (95% CI: -2.34 to -0.70). This between groups difference was clinically relevant although statistically not significant (Q=3.24; df=1; P=0.072).
Conclusions
This meta-analysis presents evidence that LLLT is an effective treatment modality to reduce pain in adult patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Adherence to WALT dosage recommendations seems to enhance treatment effectiveness.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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