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CompletedNCT00860717Updated Dec 15, 2009

The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy for Wound Healing in Leprosy Patients

An interventional study of Routine treatment and Low level laser therapy (LLLT) in Leprosy, sponsored by Para Federal University. Completed at 1 site in Brazil. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2009-12-15.

Sponsored by Para Federal University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
25
Allocation
Randomized
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Neuropathic ulcers are common sequelae of leprosy. The objectives of this study are to analyze the clinic-epidemiological characteristics of patients attended at one specialized dressing service from a leprosy-endemic region of the Brazilian Amazon and to evaluate the effect of Low Level Laser Therapy on wound healing of these patients.

02

Conditions studied

  • Leprosy

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Keywords

  • Leprosy
  • Ulcers
  • Laser
03

In context

Leprosy

52 studies on the registry are indexed under Leprosy; 13 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 25 is below the median of 70 across 41 interventional studies indexed under Leprosy.

Browse Leprosy studies →

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with Para Federal University as lead sponsor.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • presented with neuropathic ulcer
  • attended at least 3 weekly appointments at the dressing service of UREMC
  • completed specific multi-drug therapy for M. leprae
  • gave written to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • clinically detectable infection in the ulcer
  • use of drugs, like that could interfere with the wound healing process
  • use of special dressings like hydrocolloid, calcium alginate, activated carbon or any kind of therapeutic procedure different from that used routinely for both groups of study
  • non-attendance to therapeutic program (six sequential times or nine intercalated)
  • pregnancy
  • discomfort during treatment procedure
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
25 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    1

    Subjects from the arm number 1 received routine treatment, including daily simple dressings with sterile gauze after wound cleaning with a 0.9% physiologic solution, use of 1% hydrophilic silver sulfadiazine cream (Prati Donaduzzi Laboratory, Toledo, Brazil) and orientation about the use of adapted footwear, self-care and the prevention of disabilities. Surgical debridement was done whenever indicated by nursing or orthopedic services from UREMC.

    Procedure: Routine treatment

  • Experimental
    2

    Subjects from the arm number 2 received low level laser therapy 3 times per week for 12 weeks, in addition to the same treatment as patients from the arm number 1.

    Radiation: Low level laser therapy (LLLT)

Interventions

  • ProcedureRoutine treatment

    Subjects from the Control Group received routine treatment, including daily simple dressings with sterile gauze after wound cleaning with a 0.9% physiologic solution, use of 1% hydrophilic silver sulfadiazine cream (Prati Donaduzzi Laboratory, Toledo, Brazil) and orientation about the use of adapted footwear, self-care and the prevention of disabilities. Surgical debridement was done whenever indicated by nursing or orthopedic services from UREMC.

  • RadiationLow level laser therapy (LLLT)

    The LLLT equipment was an indium-gallium-aluminnium-phosphide (InGaAlP) semiconductor laser with a maximum output power of 40 mW, continuous radiation emission of visible red light with 660 nm wavelength (+/- 10 nm) and a spot area of 0.04 cm². The energy density used was 4 J per point in the wound edges and 2 J/cm² in the wound bed with a power density of 1 W/cm2. Wound beds were irradiated using a scanning technique with no direct contact.

    Also known as: LLLT, Cold laser, LILT

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Wound healing

    Time frame: Biweekly until the end of the 12 week treatment period.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Ulcer surface area, depth and PUSH tool score.

    Time frame: Biweekly until the end of the 12 week treatment period or until complete cicatrization of the treated ulcer.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Dr. Marcello Candia Reference Unit in Sanitary Dermatology of the State of Pará in Brazil (UREMC)
    Marituba, Pará 67200-000, Brazil
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Flemming K, Cullum N. Laser therapy for venous leg ulcers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;(2):CD001182. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001182. PubMed 10796615 ↗
  • Hopkins JT, McLoda TA, Seegmiller JG, David Baxter G. Low-Level Laser Therapy Facilitates Superficial Wound Healing in Humans: A Triple-Blind, Sham-Controlled Study. J Athl Train. 2004 Sep;39(3):223-229. PubMed 15496990 ↗
  • Schindl A, Schindl M, Pernerstorfer-Schon H, Mossbacher U, Schindl L. Low intensity laser irradiation in the treatment of recalcitrant radiation ulcers in patients with breast cancer--long-term results of 3 cases. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2000 Feb;16(1):34-7. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0781.2000.160109.x. PubMed 10721863 ↗
  • Lucas C, van Gemert MJ, de Haan RJ. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of stage III decubitus ulcers: a prospective, observer-blinded multicentre randomised clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci. 2003;18(2):72-7. doi: 10.1007/s10103-003-0259-5. PubMed 12928815 ↗
  • Franek A, Krol P, Kucharzewski M. Does low output laser stimulation enhance the healing of crural ulceration? Some critical remarks. Med Eng Phys. 2002 Nov;24(9):607-15. doi: 10.1016/s1350-4533(02)00112-1. PubMed 12376047 ↗
  • Schubert V. Effects of phototherapy on pressure ulcer healing in elderly patients after a falling trauma. A prospective, randomized, controlled study. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2001 Feb;17(1):32-8. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0781.2001.017001032.x. PubMed 11169174 ↗
  • Pereira AN, Eduardo Cde P, Matson E, Marques MM. Effect of low-power laser irradiation on cell growth and procollagen synthesis of cultured fibroblasts. Lasers Surg Med. 2002;31(4):263-7. doi: 10.1002/lsm.10107. PubMed 12355572 ↗
  • Barreto JG, Salgado CG. Clinic-epidemiological evaluation of ulcers in patients with leprosy sequelae and the effect of low level laser therapy on wound healing: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Infect Dis. 2010 Aug 10;10:237. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-10-237. PubMed 20698989 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 15, 2009, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00860717
Lead sponsor
Para Federal University
First posted
Mar 12, 2009
Start date
Nov 2006
Primary completion
Jan 2008
Completion
Apr 2008
Last update
Dec 15, 2009

Study contacts

Claudio G Salgado, Dr
study director · Federal University of Pará

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2009. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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