Low-level laser therapy in ulcerative lesions in leprosy: a systematic review

Objective: Leprosy is a disease that affects the peripheral nerves and ulcers are among the main complications of the disease. The laser is a tool with wide use in physiotherapy, with proven efficacy in the improvement of pressure ulcers, which creates the possibility of studies on its action in leprosy lesions. The aim of this study was to review the literature on the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the healing process of leprosy lesions. Method: Articles were sought in databases according to specific search criteria for each database as results of the descriptors included using EndNote Web (Clarivate, UK). The risk of bias (RoB) was analysed using Cochrane's ROBINS-I and RoB2 tools. Results: A total of 259 studies were included, involving 49 patients. After exclusion of duplicates and following a full reading, three articles remained for inclusion in this review. Of the three studies, only two had positive results for LLLT on the healing of leprosy ulcers; however, no study showed low RoB. Conclusion: The findings of this review concluded that use of LLLT in the study population was effective in reducing the size of leprosy lesions. Due to the lack of primary studies with low RoB, more primary studies are required to provide stronger evidence on the use of LLLT in the treatment of leprosy ulcers.