RESUMO
PURPOSE: Radiotherapy is one of the main strategies used in the treatment of cancer patients and it can cause early or late xerostomia and/or hyposalivation. Therapeutic management of xerostomia includes oral hygiene, sialogenic agents among others. METHODS: This study reviews the use of extra-oral salivary glands photobiomodulation in treating xerostomia and/or hyposalivation after radiotherapy and performs a meta-analysis of this data. RESULTS: After a broad search of the literature, eight clinical studies were selected. DISCUSSION: In a safe way, the studies found that extra-oral stimulation of the salivary glands has benefits in the hyposalivation and changes in salivary flow resulting from lesions by radiotherapy. A meta-analysis found significant values in pain comparing the pre- and post-treatment moments (MD - 3.02, I2 95%, IC - 5.56; - 0.48) and for stimulated salivary flow at 30 days after the end of radiotherapy (MD 2.90, I2 95%, IC 1.96; 3.84). CONCLUSION: The most promising parameters comprise wavelengths between 630 and 830 nm, radiant exposure from 2 to 10 J/cm2, two-to-three times a week, before the radiotherapy damage, and homogeneously in the glands. Therefore, Light-Emitting Diode (LED) stimulation of larger areas than the punctual stimulation of small millimeters of the Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) appears to be promising.
RESUMO
Laser therapies are noninvasive techniques with painless, safe, and low-cost therapeutic procedures for chronic pain. No systematic review has evaluated the effects of laser in the treatment of multi-site chronic pain. Objective: To evaluate the effects of laser in the treatment of generalized multi-site chronic pain. Methods: This pioneering study presents a PRISMA systematic review protocol designed to up-to-date the current literature on Laser Therapy in patients with chronic multi-site pain from all founded etiologies. This protocol was registered on the PROSPERO website before data extraction (registration no. CRD42019152345). Results: About 1391 articles met the inclusion criteria and 15 studies were selected for the data extraction. We found 12 studies in patients with fibromyalgia, 01 study about myofascial pain syndrome, 01 study about rheumatoid arthritis and 01 study about diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Homogeneity was not found in the Laser protocols, clinical conditions studied, the evaluation methods, or in the controlled groups but together studies suggested that Laser could have benefits in the treatment of pain severity, quality of life, fatigue, stiffness, depression, and anxiety compared to placebo and other therapies for fibromyalgia and for pain at Rheumatoid Arthritis and Diabetic Polyneuropathy. Conclusion: Laser therapy plus the standardized exercise or amitriptilyne provided no extra advantage in the relief of symptoms at fibromyalgia. For TMD myofascial pain no benefits were founded. Studies showed numerous different points and locations of light application but none of the selected studies used spinal stimulation as the Laser application site.
As terapias a laser são técnicas não invasivas, indolores, seguras e de baixo custo e de utilidade no tratamento da dor crônica. Nenhuma revisão sistemática avaliou os efeitos do laser no tratamento da dor crônica em múltiplos locais simultâneos. Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos do laser no tratamento da dor crônica multifocal generalizada. Métodos: Revisão sistemática PRISMA sobre o uso do laser em pacientes com dor crônica multifocal de diversas etiologias. Este protocolo foi registrado no site PROSPERO antes da extração dos dados (registro nº. CRD42019152345). Resultados: 1.391 artigos atenderam aos critérios de inclusão e 15 estudos foram selecionados para a extração de dados, sendo 12 estudos em pacientes com fibromialgia, 01 estudo sobre síndrome dolorosa miofascial, 01 estudo sobre artrite reumatoide e 01 estudo sobre polineuropatia sensório-motora diabética. Não foi encontrada homogeneidade nos protocolos do laser, nos métodos de avaliação ou nos grupos controlados, mas em conjunto os estudos sugeriram que o laser poderia ter benefícios no tratamento da intensidade da dor, qualidade de vida, fadiga, rigidez, depressão e ansiedade em comparação com placebo e outras terapias para fibromialgia e para dor na artrite reumatóide e polineuropatia diabética. A terapia a laser mais o exercício padronizado ou amitriptilina não proporcionou nenhuma vantagem extra no alívio dos sintomas da fibromialgia. Para dor miofascial DTM, nenhum benefício foi encontrado. Conclusão: Os estudos mostraram vários pontos e locais diferentes de aplicação de luz, mas nenhum dos estudos selecionados usou a estimulação espinhal como local de aplicação do laser.
