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Evidence summaries

Phototherapy for Treating Pressure Ulcers

There is insufficient evidence on the effects of phototherapy in treating pressure ulcers. Level of evidence: "D"

The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (several issues) and imprecise results.

Summary

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 7 studies with a total of 403 subjects. Trials compared the use of phototherapy with standard care only (six trials) or sham phototherapy (one trial). Only one of the trials included a third arm in which another type of phototherapy was applied.

Overall, there was insufficient evidence to determine the relative effects of phototherapy for healing pressure ulcers. Time to complete healing was reported in three studies. Two studies showed the ultraviolet (UV) treated group had a shorter mean time to complete healing than the control group (mean difference -2.13 weeks (95% CI -3.53 to -0.72). One study reported that the laser group had a longer mean time to complete healing than the control group (mean difference 5.77 weeks; 95% CI -0.25 to 11.79). Three studies reported proportions of ulcers healed with a variety of results. Adverse effects were reported in only two studies that compared phototherapy with control; the risk ratio for adverse events was imprecise. One study reported RR 0.72 (95% CI 0.18 to 2.80). However, another study reported RR 0.89 (95% CI: 0.71 to 1.12) based on the number of events in each group, rather than the number of people with events. Among five studies reporting the rate of change in ulcer area, three studies found no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Pooling was not undertaken because of differences in outcome measures reported. No studies reported on quality of life, length of hospital stay, pain or cost.

Clinical comments

Note

Date of latest search:

    References

    • Chen C, Hou WH, Chan ES et al. Phototherapy for treating pressure ulcers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014;(7):CD009224. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords