Low Level Laser Therapy in Heart Failure Patients.

Heart Failure Clinical Trial

Official title: Acute Effects of Low Level Laser Therapy in Muscle Function of Patients With Heart Failure.

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Heart failure (HF) is an important public health problem being considered an emerging epidemic, therefore, strategies are essential to improve symptoms and to decrease the money expenditure on healthcare. Based on the knowledge about the syndrome of heart failure, new approaches are needed to decrease the symptoms, to enhance the quality of life of these patients and highlight the non-pharmacological therapies such as the use of phototherapy. The objective of this study is to study the effect of low level laser therapy in muscle function and tissue oxygenation of the lower limbs in patients with heart failure. It is a randomized, double-blind, including 20 individuals with heart failure, with stable, class II or III according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA). It will be evaluated the acute effects of a LASER intervention applied before a fatigue protocol throught muscle function and tissue oxygenation in the participants. Evaluations will be performed by an isokinetic dynamometer, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and electromyography . It will be analyzed the concentration of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin, total hemoglobin concentration, the difference between these concentrations, muscular torque, fatigue index and muscle activation. The data will be subjected to distribution normality test and if they have normal distribution, the differences between the interventions will be checked by analysis of variance, considering significant ap <0.05. If the data is non-parametric distribution will be using the Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis. The SPSS 19.0 software will be used as a tool for data analysis. The investigators expected to find as outcomes of this study an increase in peripheral muscle function and tissue oxygenation and also a delay in the development of muscle fatigue in patients with HF submitted to acute intervention with LASER.

Clinical Trial Description

Day 1: Informed Consent signature and Clear (IC); Application of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ); Measurement of the muscle thickness with use of ultrasound; Anatomical points definition for electrode placement of Electromyography (EMG); Warming up on stationary bike; Subject's position in the Isokinetic, placement of EMG electrodes and NIRS´ optodes; Baseline measurement (peak torque and muscle fatigue protocol); Stretching exercises for the lower limbs muscles; 48-hour interval.

Day 2: Warming up on stationary bike; LASER / Placebo application; Subject's position in the Isokinetic, placement of EMG electrodes and NIRS´ optodes; Peak torque and muscle fatigue protocol in the Isokinetic equipment; Stretching exercises for the lower limbs muscles; 48-hour interval.

Day 3: Warming up on stationary bike; LASER / Placebo application; Subject's position in the Isokinetic, placement of EMG electrodes and NIRS´ optodes; Peak torque and muscle fatigue protocol in the Isokinetic equipment; Stretching exercises for the lower limbs muscles. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Heart Failure

• NCT number: NCT02508792
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre
• Contact: Pedro Dal Lago, Doctor
• Phone: 33038796
• Email: pdallago@ufcspa.edu.br
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: August 2015