ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to assess and compare the efficacy of accelerating burn healing in diabetic rats using low-power visible and invisible lasers. BACKGROUND DATA: Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been used in a number of diabetic animal and human studies, with both positive and no effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. Streptozotocin (70 mg/kg) was given for diabetes induction. A burn wound was created on the shaved back of the animals using a metal rod heated to 600 degrees C. The study was performed using 532-, 633-, 670-, 810-, and 980-nm diode lasers. Incident doses of 5, 10, 20, and 30 J/cm(2) and a treatment schedule of three times per week were used in the experiments. The burned areas on all rats were measured and plotted on a chart, and the slope values (mm(2)/d) and the percentages of burn healing were compared. RESULTS: The percentage of burn healing on diabetic rats after LLLT was 78.37% for the visible lasers and 50.68% for the invisible lasers. There was a significant difference (p < 0.005) between visible lasers and invisible lasers in the percentage of burn healing on diabetic rats after laser therapy. CONCLUSION: LLLT at the appropriate treatment parameters can accelerate burn healing on diabetic rats using both visible and invisible lasers. The effects of visible lasers were better than those of invisible lasers in accelerating burn healing on diabetic rats in this study.