Research Library of Scientific References

Currently, there are over 3,000 published articles describing various aspects of laser therapy. In conjunction with this, Pegasus Therapy Laser is developing a Research Library to provide an easy-to-use, internet resource for laser therapy and other phototherapeutic related material. We will be seeking to continually expand and update this database. One of the purposes of this Research Library is to support by scientific literature, all statements and references made by the Pegasus Therapy Laser website and company.

The information contained herein is offered for educational purposes only. It is neither complete nor comprehensive for the conditions addressed. It should not be used as a substitute for a consultation or advice from a qualified, medical or health professional.

Industry Associations

Current literature is available through industry associations. They each publish a bimonthly journal of peer-reviewed papers.

WALT, The World Association for Laser Therapy - www.walt.nu

NAALT, the North American Association for Laser Therapy - www.naalt.org
 

Positive Double Blind Studies Showing the Effectiveness of Laser Therapy

Airaksinen O., et al. Effects of Infra-Red Laser Irradiation at the Trigger Points.
Scand J of Acu & El Therapy. 1988; 3: 56-61

Antipa C. et al. Clinical Results of the Low Energy Laser Action on Distal Forearm Posttraumatic Nerve Lesions.
Laser Therapy. 1996; 1: 36.

Antipa C. et al. Comparative Effects of Various IR Low Energy Diodes in the Treatment of the Rheumatic Diseases.
1997. In press (Monduzzi Editore, Bologna)

Boerner E. et al. Double-blind Study on the Efficacy of Laser Therapy.
SPIE Proc. 1996. Vol. 2929: 75-79.

Emmanoulidis O. et al. CW IR Low-Power Laser Application Significantly Accelerates Chronic Pain Relief Rehabilitation of Professional Athletes. A Double blind Study.
Lasers Surg Med. 1986; 6: 173.

England S. et al. Low Power Laser Therapy of Shoulder Tendinitis.
Scand J Rheumatology. 1989; 18: 427.

Hoteya K. et al. Effects of a 1 W GaAlAs Diode Laser in the Field of Orthopedics. In: Meeting Report: The first Congress of the International Association for Laser and Sports Medicine. Tokyo,1997. Laser Therapy 1997; 9 (4): 185.

Laakso E. L. et al. Pain Scores and Side Effects in Response to Low Level LaserTtherapy (LLLT) for Myofascial Trigger Points.
Laser Therapy. 1997; 2 (9): 67-72.

Mester A. Biostimulative Effect in Wound Healing by Continuous Wave 820 nm Laser Diode. Double-blind Randomized Cross-over Study.
Lasers in Med Science, abstract issue July 1988, No 289.

Mokhtar B. et al. The Possible Significance of Pulse Repetition Rate in Laser-Mediated Analgesia: A Double Blind Placebo Controlled Investigation Using Experimental Ischemic Pain.
Proc. Second Meeting of the International Laser Therapy Assn. London Sept 1992. p 62

Moore K. et al The Effect of Infra-red Diode Laser Irradiation on the Duration and Severity of Postoperative Pain. A Double-blind Trial.
Laser Therapy. 1992; 4: 145.

Ortutay J et al. Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment with Low Power Laser Irradiation. A Double blind Clinical Study.
Lasermedizin - Laser in Med Surg. 1998; 13 (3-4): 140.

Saeki N. et al. Double Blind Test for Biostimulation Effects on Pain Relief by Diode Laser. 1989. Laser Surgery; 1066: 93-100.

Sasaki K. et al. A Double-blind Controlled Study on Free Amino Acid Analysis in CO2 Laser Burn Wounds in the Mouse Model Following Doses of Low Incident Infrared (830 nm) Diode Laser Energy.
Proc. 2nd Meeting of the International Laser Therapy Assn., London, 1992, p.4.

Sasaki K. et al. A Preliminary Double-blind Controlled Study on Free Amino Acid Analysis in Burn Wounds in the Mouse Following 830 nm Diode Laser Therapy.
Laser Therapy. 1997; 2 (9): 59-65.

Saunders L. The Efficiacy of Low Level Laser Therapy in Supraspinatus Tendinitis.
Clin Rehab. 1995; 9: 126-134

Simunovic Z., Trobonjaca T. et al. Treatment of Medial and Lateral Epicondylitis - Tennis and Golfer Elbow - with Low Level Laser Therapy: A Multi-center Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Clinical Study on 324 Patients.
J Clin Laser Med & Surg. 1998; 16 (3): 145-151.

Simunovic Z., Trobonjaca T. Soft Tissue Injury During Sport Activities and Traffic Accidents - Treatment with Low Level Laser Therapy. A Multi-center Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Clinical Study on 132 Patients.
Proc. IXX ASLMS Congress, Orlando, Florida, April 1999.

Soriano F. A. et al Acute Cervical Pain is Relieved with Gallium-arsenida (GaAs) Laser Irradiation. A Double-blind Preliminary Study.
Laser Therapy. 1996; 8: 149-154.

Soriano F. A. et al. Low Level Laser Therapy Response in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain. A Double-blind Study.
Lasers Surg Med. 1998, Suppl. 10, p. 6.

Toya S. et al. Report on a Computer Randomized Double-blind Clinical Trial to Determine the Effectiveness of the GaAlAs (830 nm) Diode Laser for Pain Attenuation in Selected Pain. Laser Therapy 1994; 6:143.

Taguchi T. et al. Thermographic Changes Following Laser Irradiation for Pain.
Clinical Laser Med Surg. 1991; 2(9): 143.

Walsh D. et al. The Effect of Low Intensity Laser Irradiation upon Conduction and Skin Temperature in the Superficial Rradial Nerve. Double-blind Placebo Controlled Investigation Using Experimental Ischaemic Pain.
Proc. Second Meeting of the Internat Laser Therapy Association, London, sept. 1992.

Wylie L. et al. The Hypo-algesic Effects of Low Intensity Infrared Laser Therapy upon Mechanical Pain Threshold.
Lasers Surg Med. 1995; Suppl 7:9.
 

MUSCULOSKELETAL ABSTRACTS

THE EFFICACY OF LASER THERAPY FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISORDERS: A CRITERIA-BASED META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS
Beckerman H, de Bie RA, Bouter LM, et al.

The efficacy of laser therapy for musculoskeletal and skin disorders has been assessed on the basis of the results of 36 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving 1,704 patients. For this purpose, a criteria-based meta-analysis that took into account the methodological quality of the individual trials was used. The studies with a positive outcome were generally of a better quality than the studies with a negative outcome. No clear relationship could be demonstrated between the laser dosage applied and the efficacy of laser therapy, or between the dosage and the methodological score. In general, the methodological quality of these studies appeared to be rather low. Consequently, no definite conclusions can be drawn about the efficacy of laser therapy for skin disorders. The efficacy of laser therapy for musculoskeletal disorders seems, on average, to be larger than the efficacy of a placebo treatment. More specifically, for rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic joint disorders, and myofascial pain, laser therapy seems to have a substantial specific therapeutic effect. Further RCTs, avoiding the most prevalent methodological errors, are needed in order to enable the benefits of laser therapy to be more precisely and validly evaluated.
Physical Therapy. 72(7):483-91, 1992 Jul. (60 ref)
 

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES IN CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS LLLT PROTOCOL
Scott D. Fender and David Diffee
Pain Research Group, Arvada, Colorado, U.S.A.

Use of Low Reactive Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) utilizing helium-neon lasers has increased lately especially in pain control. New protocols are being developed aimed at a complex of primary and secondary symptomologies. One of these protocols Stellate Ganglion Stimulation has shown in our research a unique set of developments. Targeting the area of the stellate ganglion is showing great promise in the rehabilitation of patients with a history of chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes, but several patients with preexisting psychological symptom logy have exacerbated during the initial stages of utilization of this protocol. Patients with a history of psychological diagnosis for dysthymia, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder or minor diffuse brain injury have shown an exacerbation of these symptomologies during the initial phases of stimulation treatment. Overall, response to this form of therapy seems to be positive but some patients require dermatomal and/or site-specific therapy to maximize outcome. With specific psychological treatment combined with a more conservative amount of stimulation initially the increase in these symptoms shows a tendency to remit with the pain response. Our continued research is currently focusing on the mechanisms for this type of response as well as protocol refinement to maximize its effectiveness.
Scott D. Fender DDS DAPM, 5275 Marshall Street, Suite 203, Arvada, CO 80002, U.S.A.
0898-5901/92/040169-05$07.50 © 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Successful Management of Female Office Workers with "Repetitive Stress Injury" or "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" by a New Treatment Modality - Application of Low Level Laser

E. Wong G LEE J. Zu CHERMAN and D. P. MASON
Western Heart Institute and St. Mary's Spine Center St. Mary's Medical Center.
San Francisco. CA. USA and
Head and Neck Pain Center, Honolulu HL. USA

Abstract. Female office workers with desk jobs who are incapacitated by pain and tingling in the hands and fingers are often diagnosed by physicians as "repetitive stress injury'' (RSI) or "carpal tunnel syndrome'' (CTS). These patients usually have poor posture with their head and neck stooped forward and shoulders rounded; upon palpation. they have pain and tenderness at the spinous processes C5 - T1 and the medial angle of the scapula. In 35 such patients we focused the treatment primarily at the posterior neck area and not the wrists and hands. A low level laser
(100 mW) was used and directed at the tips of the spinous processes C5 - Tl. The laser rapidly alleviated the pain and tingling in the arms, hands and fingers. and diminished tenderness at the involved spinous processes. Thereby, it has become apparent that many patients labeled as having RSI or CTS have predominantly cervical radicular dysfunction resulting in pain to the upper extremities which can be managed by low level laser. Successful long-term management involves treating the soft tissue lesions in the neck combined with correcting the abnormal head, neck and shoulder posture by taping. cervical collars, and clavicle harnesses as well as improved work ergonomics.

Manuscript received: July, 1997 Accepted for publication: September, 1997 LASER THERAPY, 1997:9: 131- 136 09/97 Rep. US $ 10-12-14 © 1997 by LT Publishers, U.K., Ltd
 

THE EFFECT OF INFR-ARED LASER IRRADIATION ON THE DURATION AND SEVERITY OF POSTOPERATIVE PAIN: A DOUBLE BLIND TRIAL

Kevin C. Moore, Naru Hira, Ian J. Broome* and John A. Cruikshank Departments of Anaesthesia and General Surgery, The Royal Oldham Hospital, Oldham, U.K *Department of Anaesthesia, The Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, U.K., General Practitioner, Pennymeadow Clinic, Ashton-under-Lyne, U.K.

This trial was designed to test the hypothesis that LLLT reduces the extent and duration of post operative pain. Twenty consecutive patients for elective cholecystectomy were randomly allocated for either LLLT or as controls. The trial was double blind. Patients for LLLT received 6-8-min treatment (GaAlAs: 830 nm: 60 mW CW: CM) to the wound area immediately following skin closure prior to emergence from GA. All patients were prescribed on demand postoperative analgesia (IM or oral according to pain severity). Recordings of pain scores (0-10) and analgesic requirements were noted by an independent assessor. There was a significant difference in the number of doses of narcotic analgesic (IM) required between the two groups. Controls n = 5.5: LLLT n = 2.5. No patient in the LLLT group required IM analgesia after 24 h. Similarly the requirement for oral analgesia was reduced in the LLLT group. Controls n = 9: LLLT n = 4. Control patients assessed their overall pain as moderate to severe compared with mild to moderate in the LLLT group. The results justify further evaluation on a larger trial population.

Dr K. C. Moore, Department of Anaesthesia, The Royal Oldham Hospital,
Rochdale Road, Oldham OL1 2JH, U.K.
0898-5901/92/040145-05$07.50 @) 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.