An interventional study of THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy) in Thumb Osteoarthritis, Hand Injuries and Laser, sponsored by Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari. Recruiting at 1 site in Italy. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-15.
Sponsored by Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that can affect the hands and is particularly debilitating when it involves the trapeziometacarpal joint (rhizarthrosis). It causes pain, deformity, limited movement and strength, joint instability, resulting in significant limitations in daily activities.Many conservative treatments, such as medications, therapeutic exercises, physical therapy, and orthoses, are effective for managing hand OA. For patients who do not respond to conservative treatments, surgical intervention will be necessary.
Among physical therapies, in recent years particular interest has been focused on the laser (Light Amplification through the Stimulated Emission of Radiation), which exploits the biological effects induced by electromagnetic emission, consisting of increased mitochondrial oxidation, which facilitates the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), increased cellular metabolism, and blood circulation, with rapid absorption of edema and removal of exudates. These actions induce significant anti-inflammatory, proliferative, and analgesic effects on various orthopedic conditions. So far, low-energy lasers have been used in rehabilitative treatments. Currently, there is growing interest in using high-energy lasers, which have a greater ability to penetrate deeply into the tissues and to biostimulate the affected area.The first studies investigating the effects of high-energy laser in this pathology provide interesting results. Medina-Porqueres et al. in 2017 published a study protocol for high-energy laser treatment in rhizarthrosis, which involved randomization to experimental treatment or placebo, but to date the results have not been disclosed. Cantero-Téllez and colleagues (2020) treated 43 patients with rhizarthrosis, randomizing them to an experimental group (high-energy laser) or placebo. They found a remission of pain at the end of high-energy laser treatment, noting, however, that the benefits subsided within 12 weeks. Guo and colleagues (2023) also randomized 42 patients with rhizarthrosis to high-energy laser treatment with occupational therapy guidance or to short-wave treatment and orthosis; their experience has shown that experimental treatment with high-energy laser allowed for improvement in pain and pinch function of the thumb at 12 weeks. The aim of our study is to further investigate the therapeutic effectiveness of high-energy laser treatment in hand osteoarthritis.
122 studies on the registry are indexed under Hand Injuries; 35 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 42 is below the median of 55 across 97 interventional studies indexed under Hand Injuries.
Browse Hand Injuries studies →Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari is the lead sponsor of 47 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
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.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The high-energy, multimodal laser therapy with thermal control (THEAL) will be administered using an Ixyon XP device (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy), which allows the delivery of 4 wavelengths (650 nm, 810 nm, 980 nm, and 1064 nm) in continuous and pulsed mode, with an average power of up to 30 W, administering 10 sessions on alternate days.
Device: THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy)
Patients will perform exercises for 4 weeks following recruitment. Patients in this group will be taught home exercises to improve the dynamic stability of the thumb metacarpal trapezius joint. The patient is instructed to perform a flexion of the trapeziometacarpal. If the individual is able to complete 10 repetitions with good technique, resistance will be added manually or with rubber bands. If this exercise is painful, they are asked to return to active movement only. Patients in both groups will be instructed to use a brace during the day for 4 weeks following recruitment.
laser therapy
Also known as: High Intensity laser therapy
recovery of pain
The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."
Time frame: change between baseline to 1 month
recovery of pain
The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."
Time frame: change between baseline to 3 month
recovery of pain
The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."
Time frame: change between baseline to 6 month
functional recovery
The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.
Time frame: change between baseline to 1 month
functional recovery
The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.
Time frame: change between baseline to 3 month
functional recovery
The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.
Time frame: change between baseline to 6 month
disability recovery
The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability
Time frame: change between baseline to 1 month
disability recovery
The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability
Time frame: change between baseline to 3 month
disability recovery
The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability
Time frame: change between baseline to 6 month
perception of clinical improvement
Maudsley and Roles scale scores range from 0-4 points for excellent to poor
Time frame: change between 3 to 6 months
Plan to share: No
Started Nov 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2027, 25 months after the start.
Of 59 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Hand Injuries, half reached primary completion within 14 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 8 and three quarters within 26. This study's planned 25 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 59 studies reached it within 14 months; a quarter within 8 and three quarters within 26.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari