ArticleArthritis research & therapy2013
Can osteoarthritis be treated with light?
Article in Arthritis research & therapy, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 45 citations in OpenAlex.
- Association of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) and exercises programs in pain and functional capacity of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA): a systematic review of randomized trials.Lasers in medical science · 2021Pooled it
- Laser photobiomodulation for cartilage defect in animal models of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Lasers in medical science · 2020Pooled it
- Pooled it
- From concept to practice: intra-articular photobiomodulation for knee osteoarthritis.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Photobiomodulation control the expression of MMP, TNF-α and NK-1 receptors, improving allodynia and cartilage resistance in rheumatoid arthritis model.Lasers in medical science · 2025Article
- Multimodal non-invasive non-pharmacological therapies for chronic pain: mechanisms and progress.BMC medicine · 2023Review
- The Mechanisms and Efficacy of Photobiomodulation Therapy for Arthritis: A Comprehensive Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Current advances of photobiomodulation therapy in treating knee osteoarthritis.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2023Review
- The use of LED therapy to treat synovial joints disorders: scoping review.Lasers in medical science · 2022Article
- Photobiomodulation and Sida tuberculata combination declines the inflammation's markers in knee-induced osteoarthritis.Lasers in medical science · 2022Article
- Article
- Therapeutic application of light and electromagnetic fields to reduce hyper-inflammation triggered by COVID-19.Communicative & integrative biology · 2021Article
- Article
- Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation.AIMS biophysics · 2017Article
- Effects of photobiomodulation therapy, pharmacological therapy, and physical exercise as single and/or combined treatment on the inflammatory response induced by experimental osteoarthritis.Lasers in medical science · 2017Article
- The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) For Musculoskeletal Pain.MOJ orthopedics & rheumatologyArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is becoming more problematic as the population ages. Recent reports suggest that the benefit of anti-inflammatory drugs is unimpressive and the incidence of side effects is worrying. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) is an alternative approach with no known side effects and with reports of substantial therapeutic efficacy in osteoarthritis. In this issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy, Alves and colleagues used a rat model of osteoarthritis produced by intra-articular injection of the cartilage-degrading enzyme papain to test 810-nm LLLT. A single application of LLLT produced significant reductions in inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory cytokines 24 hours later. A lower laser power was more effective than a higher laser power. However, more work is necessary before the title question can be answered in the affirmative.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.