title: Can osteoarthritis be treated with light?
abstract: Osteoarthritis is becoming more problematic as the population ages. Recent reports suggest that the benefit of anti-inflammatory drugs is unimpressive and the incidence of side effects is worrying. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) is an alternative approach with no known side effects and with reports of substantial therapeutic efficacy in osteoarthritis. In this issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy, Alves and colleagues used a rat model of osteoarthritis produced by intra-articular injection of the cartilage-degrading enzyme papain to test 810-nm LLLT. A single application of LLLT produced significant reductions in inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory cytokines 24 hours later. A lower laser power was more effective than a higher laser power. However, more work is necessary before the title question can be answered in the affirmative.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hamblin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000528:radiation effects*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines