Effect of helium neon laser therapy for enhancing healing of chronic leg ulcers on growth factors and oxidative status: Correlation with protein carbonyls

To evaluate the effect of He:Ne laser irradiation on growth factors and oxidative stress during its biostimulatory effects on wound healing. Twenty two chronic leg ulcer patients, were exposed to three sessions per week of 632.8 nm2 He Ne laser irradiation at power output 10 mW and energy density of 1-4 J/cm2. Serum protein carbonyls, wound edge DNA, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (BGF) were estimated in sera and tissue of each patient before and after the 8∼ session post He:Ne laser irradiation used for treatment of chronic leg ulcer. Laser irradiation decreased ulcer size in all of the treated patients. 65% of ulcers exhibited 100%, complete recovery and 35% of ulcers exhibited recovery below 80%. Biochemical investigations revealed significant increase in the levels of serum and tissue FGF, and EGF, while serum protein carbonyls were decreased. The decrease in serum protein carbonyls was inversely correlated with the percentage of ulcer healing, while the increase in tissue growth factors was positively correlated with the percentage of ulcer healing. There was no significant increase in the level of DNA after laser therapy. However, DNA-fragmentation before and after laser therapy revealed the presence of small DNA fractions ranging from 21 kb to less than 0.5 kb before laser therapy, which decreased in intensity or was completely eliminated after laser therapy. Me:Ne therapy is of great benefit in the treatment of chronic wounds and shades the light on the oxidative stress and growth factor status during the treatment of chronic leg ulcer with soft laser irradiation. (author)