Original scientific paper
The effectiveness of high intensity laser related to the pain in extra-articular rheumatism
Nikola Maretić
Jure Aljinović
Boris Bećir
Ana Poljičanin
Ela Škorić
Slađana Vuković Baras
Mirela Stipić
Bartul Petković
Dinko Pivalica
Tonko Vlak
; Zavod za fizikalnu medicinu i rehabilitaciju s reumatologijom KBC Split, Medicinski fakultet u Splitu, Šoltanska 1, 21000 Split
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high intensity laser (HIL) on reduction of pain, the leading symptom of the disease, in patients with extra-articular rheumatism.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study followed the therapeutic effect of HIL therapy (model BTL-6000, 12W, 1064nm) as a monotherapeutic form of treatment in a group of 152 patients with extra-articular rheumatism divided into 7 regional sub-groups: shoulder (n = 24), elbow (n= 17), wrist and hand(n= 18), hip and thigh (n= 20), knee (n= 21), ankle (n= 32) and feet (n= 20). Of the total number
of patients 45 did not meet the criteria for inclusion in the analysis of the data after completion of monitoring. The average age of patients was 45 years (range 14–78). The patients subjectively assessed the feeling of pain on the visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after therapy.
RESULTS: The study showed statistically significant efficiency of HIL on pain reduction in extra-articular rheumatism. Statistical significance was determined by t-test. The average reduction of pain on the VAS scale by clinical entities was as follows: shoulder(n = 20) reduction in VAS pain from 6.7 (±1.4) to 3.8 (±2.2) with an average difference -2.9 (±1.7), P <0.0001;elbow (n = 17): VAS pain reduction from 6.5 (±1.3) to 3.4 (±2.4) with an average difference -3.1 (±2),P <0.0001;wrist and hand (n = 11): decrease from 6.0 (±1.8) to 3.2 (±1.5) with an average difference -2.8 (±1.8),P <0.001;hipand thigh (n = 10): decrease from
7.2 (±1.6) to 3.4 (±2.2) with an average difference -3.8 (±2.6),P <0.01; knee (n = 18): decrease from 5.8 (±2.1) to 3.6 (±2.4) with an average difference -2.2 (±2.2),P <0.001;ankle (n = 12): decrease from 5.6 (±2.0) to 3.6 (±1.8) with an average difference -2.1 (±1.6),P <0.001; feet (n = 8): decrease from 6.5 (±1.6) to 4.4 (±2.4) with an average difference -2.1 (±1.3), P <0.01; metatarsalgia (n = 9): decrease from 8.1 (±1.6) to 5.0 (±1.4) with an average difference -3.1 (±2.3), P <0.01.
CONCLUSION: HILmonotherapyshowed statistically significant efficacy in the treatment of pain in all monitored extra-articular diseases, and because of its effectiveness can be recommended as themethod of choice for the treatment of all monitored extra-articular diseases.
Keywords
extra-articular rheumatism; monotherapy; pain; high intensity laser
Hrčak ID:
234797
URI
Publication date:
26.4.2017.
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