Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Konstantinovic, Ljubica M.
• Kanjuh, Zeljko M.
• Milovanovic, Andjela N.
• Cutovic, Milisav R.
• Djurovic, Aleksandar G.
• Savic, Viktorija G.
• Dragin, Aleksandra S.
• Milovanovic, Nesa D.

Titel

Acute Low Back Pain with Radiculopathy: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study

Ist Teil von

• Photomedicine and laser surgery, 2010-08, Vol.28 (4), p.553-560

Ort / Verlag

United States: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2010

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in patients with acute low back pain (LBP) with radiculopathy. Background Data: Acute LBP with radiculopathy is associated with pain and disability and the important pathogenic role of inflammation. LLLT has shown significant anti-inflammatory effects in many studies. Materials and Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed on 546 patients. Group A (182 patients) was treated with nimesulide 200 mg/day and additionally with active LLLT; group B (182 patients) was treated only with nimesulide; and group C (182 patients) was treated with nimesulide and placebo LLLT. LLLT was applied behind the involved spine segment using a stationary skin-contact method. Patients were treated 5 times weekly, for a total of 15 treatments, with the following parameters: wavelength 904 nm; frequency 5000 Hz; 100-mW average diode power; power density of 20 mW/cm 2 and dose of 3 J/cm 2 ; treatment time 150 sec at whole doses of 12 J/cm 2 . The outcomes were pain intensity measured with a visual analog scale (VAS); lumbar movement, with a modified Schober test; pain disability, with Oswestry disability score; and quality of life, with a 12-item short-form health survey questionnaire (SF-12). Subjects were evaluated before and after treatment. Statistical analyses were done with SPSS 11.5. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in all outcomes measured ( p  < 0.001), but were larger in group A than in B ( p  < 0.0005) and C ( p  < 0.0005). The results in group C were better than in group B ( p  < 0.0005). Conclusions: The results of this study show better improvement in acute LBP treated with LLLT used as additional therapy.