Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy with Wrist Splinting on Outcome of Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Introduction: To determine the long-term effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) onclinical symptoms and electrophysiological parameters of patients with mild and moderatecarpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted during a 1-year period in January 2015 to January 2016 in outpatient clinics of Isfahan University ofMedical Sciences. This study is registered with Iranian Clinical Trial Registry(IRCT20120716010297N5). We included 61 hands with mild and moderate CTS from bothgenders with an age range of 30 to 65 years. The hands were randomly assigned to receiveLLLT and night wrist splint (n=31) or sham laser therapy and night wrist splint (n=30).Symptoms severity scores (SSS), functional severity score (FSS), visual analogue scale(VAS) and nerve conductive study (NCS) parameters using electrodiagnostic equipment wereevaluated based on clinical parameters (Phalen’s and Tinel tests) at 6 months after treatment.Findings: The baseline characteristics were comparable between two study groups. TheVAS, SSS, FSS, peak sensory latency and distal motor latency decreased significantly in bothstudy group after 6 months of intervention. We found that those receiving LLLT hadsignificantly lower VAS (p=0.001), SSS (p<0.001) and FSS (p<0.001) compared to shamlaser therapy after 6 months of follow-up. In the same way, those in LLLT group hadsignificantly lower values of peak sensory latency compared to sham group (p<0.001). Thosereceiving LLLT had significantly higher decrease in mean values of VAS (p=0.032), SSS(p=0.021), FSS (p=0.002) and distal motor latency (p<0.001) when compared to those insham group. However, the decrease in mean differences of peak sensory latency wascomparable between two study groups.Conclusion: LLLT is associated with improved pain, symptoms, function and sensoryevoked potentials after 6 months in patients with mild to moderate CTS.

Keywords:

Low-Level Laser Therapy , Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) , Wrist Splint , Outcome