Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32899089›Full record

Trial reportMedicine2020

Short-term clinical efficacy of the pulsed Nd: YAG laser therapy on chronic nonspecific low back pain: A randomized controlled study.

Walid Kamal Abdelbasset, Gopal Nambi, Shereen H Elsayed, Saud M Alrawaili, Nahla N Ataalla, Ahmed M Abodonya, Ayman K Saleh, Samah A Moawd

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Medicine, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Walid Kamal AbdelbassetDepartment of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Gopal NambiDepartment of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Shereen H ElsayedDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saud M AlrawailiDepartment of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nahla N AtaallaDepartment of Radiological Sciences and Medical Imaging, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed M AbodonyaDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ayman K SalehDepartment of Orthopedic, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Samah A MoawdDepartment of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic non-specific low back pain (LBP) is gradually increasing among populations worldwide and affects their activities. Recently, the Nd:YAG laser has been presented in the rehabilitation field.

objectivesThis study aims to explore the short-term effects of the Nd:YAG laser on chronic non-specific LBP individuals.

methodsThirty-five individuals with chronic nonspecific LBP were included in the study from December 2019 to March 2020. Randomly, they were categorized to Nd:YAG group (n = 18) and sham laser as a control (n = 17) thrice weekly for a 6-week intervention. Modified Oswestry disability index (MODI), pain disability index (PDI), visual analogue scale (VAS), and lumbar flexion range of motion (ROM) have been assessed pre and post-6 weeks of the intervention.

resultsSignificant improvements were observed in the Nd:YAG group (MODI, P < .001; PDI, P = .007; VAS, P < .001; lumbar ROM, P = .002), whereas the sham group showed no significant changes (MODI, P = .451; PDI, P = .339; VAS, P = .107; lumbar ROM, P = .296) after 6-week intervention. Between-group comparisons showed significant differences in tending toward the Nd:YAG group (MODI, P < .001; PDI, P = .046; VAS, P < .001; lumbar ROM, P = .003).

conclusionsRegarding the present study outcomes, short-term pulsed Nd:YAG laser (6 weeks) may reduce functional disabilities and pain intensity, and improve the lumbar flexion ROM in patients with chronic nonspecific LBP. Further well-designed randomized controlled studies with large sample sizes should be conducted regarding laser treatment.

Indexed as

AdultChronic DiseaseDisability EvaluationHumansLasers, Solid-StateLow Back PainLow-Level Light TherapyMiddle AgedPain MeasurementPhysical Functional PerformanceProspective StudiesRange of Motion, ArticularSingle-Blind Method

Identifiers

PMID32899089
PMCPMC7478657

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.