Rheumatoid arthritis
LLLT for rheumatoid arthritis Cochrane review
Brosseau L, Robinson V, Wells G, et al. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2005.
An older Cochrane review found short-term pain and morning-stiffness improvements but insufficient data on key dosing factors.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
mixed
Panel relevance
partially-replicable
Key findings
- The review included five placebo-controlled trials with 222 patients.
- LLLT reduced pain and morning stiffness versus a separate control group.
- Other outcomes such as function, range of motion, and local swelling did not differ.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Varied by trial |
| Duration | Short-term trials |
| Treatment area | Joints or other trial-specific application sites |
| Device type | Low-level laser therapy |
Caveats
- Older positive findings conflict with more cautious recent evidence.
- The review lacked data on wavelength, duration, dose, and site effects.