Jaguar, G.C., Prado, J.D., Nishimoto, I.N., Pinheiro, M.C., deCastro, D.O., Jr., da Cruz Perez, D.E., et al. (2007). Low-energy laser therapy for prevention of oral mucositis in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Oral Diseases, 13(6), 538–543.
Prophylactic laser treatment was administered daily from beginning of conditioning regimen to two days after stem cell transplantation.
Patients received gallium aluminum arsenate diode laser therapy on four anatomic sites of the oral mucosa.
660 nm 10 mW 2.5 J/cm2 was administered. Each anatomic site was illuminated for 10 seconds per point.
Patients with HSCT from Brazil aged 17-62 years
Historical control group (1999–2000): n = 25
Laser group: n = 24
The study occurred from January 2003-September 2004.
WHO
Administration of morphine
Time of parenteral nutrition
Incidence of mucositis was the same in both groups.
Percentage of grade 2, 3, and 4 mucositis was less in laser group, not SS (p = 0.12). The laser group took longer to develop grade 1 (4.36 versus 6.12 days [p = 0.01], had fewer days of pain (5.64 versus 2.45 [p = 0.04], and had fewer patients who required morphine (10 versus 4 [p = 0.07].
Limited sample size and methodology
Number of patients with grade 3–4 may have been SS with larger sample.