Monochromatic phototherapy: effective treatment for grade II chronic pressure ulcers in elderly patients.
OBJECTIVE
Monochromatic pulsating light may have effects on wound healing. In an earlier study of grade II ulcers, there was a tendency toward better healing in the phototherapy group (p=0.06). The present study on patients with grade II ulcers was performed to verify these findings. Data from this study were pooled with data from the earlier study.


METHODS
Ninety-four patients were offered participation in the new study and 76 patients were evaluated. They were pooled with 87 patients from the earlier study, bringing the total to 163. All patients were treated with monochromatic pulsating light or placebo over the ulcerated area, according to a specified program up to 12 weeks.


RESULTS
The mean normalized reduction in pressure ulcer size at week 12 was 0.79 for the phototherapy group and 0.50 for the placebo group (95% confidence interval 0.01-0.53; p=0.039). No serious side-effects were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Monochromatic pulsating light accelerates healing in grade II pressure ulcers in elderly patients.
Dehlin
Ove
O
Department of Community Medicine, Malmö University Hospital, 20502 Malmö, Sweden. ove.dehlin@punkt.se
Elmståhl
Sölve
S
Gottrup
Finn
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*