EFFECTS OF OPTICAL CLEARING, ULTRASOUND THERAPY AND SONOPHORESIS FOR PHOTOBIOMODULATION: RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

• Grant number: 22/11265-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2023
• End date: December 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Cleber Ferraresi
• Grantee: Otávio Bernardes Dutra
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 24/05093-1 - PBM 2024 London, AR.EXT

Abstract

Introduction: Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) consists of the application of light in the range from red to near infrared for therapeutic purposes. The effects of PBMT on biological tissues depend on light-tissue interactions, which in turn depend on the light penetration through human skin. Several studies have investigated the effects of optical clearing agents (OCAs); chemical penetration enhancers (CPEs); and physical-based approaches, such as ultrasound (US), to attenuate the reflection and scattering of light in biological tissues and thus increase the depth of light penetration. However, there are no studies in humans that have combined these approaches, as well as other important factors such as skin color and age, which possibly also impact the light penetration. Objective: Verify if the application of a mixture of OCA-CPE, as well as US and Sonophoresis (US + mixture of OCA-CPE) improves the light penetration of PBMT through the skin of human. Methodology: This is study is a randomized clinical trial. Seventy two men voluntarily will participate in the study, alocated into 6 equal groups based on their skin color and age. Volunteers will undergo PBMT applied in the vastus medialis region of both limbs in combination with: 1) application of OCA-CPE, 2) US and 3) Sonophoresis OCA-CPE. The collected data will be compared between groups with a significance level of 5%.