TOPLINE:

The use of vascular photobiomodulation (VPBM), a noninvasive light-based treatment, significantly improved critical metabolic parameters including white blood cell (WBC) count, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and lactate levels in patients with sepsis, presenting a promising adjunctive approach for managing sepsis.

METHODOLOGY:

• Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. VPBM has emerged as a promising noninvasive approach and may help modulate metabolic parameters in patients with sepsis.
• Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial at a hospital in Brazil to evaluate the effects of VPBM in 30 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of sepsis who were clinically stable and did not require vasopressors.
• The VPBM group (mean age, 41 years) received 30-minute applications of a 660-nm red laser delivering 180 J of energy to the radial artery over 5 consecutive days, whereas the control group (mean age, 39 years) received the same procedure with the laser turned off.
• Metabolic biomarkers indicative of infection and sepsis such as WBC count and levels of lactate, creatinine, and SpO₂ were monitored.

TAKEAWAY:

• On day 3 onwards, the VPBM group showed a significant reduction in WBC count to 13,236.33 mm³ compared with 20,397.33 mm³ in the control group (P < .001), a trend that persisted until day 5.
• The VPBM group had normalized pH values by day 5, reaching 7.38 compared with 7.25 in the control group (P < .001).
• Likewise, lactate levels started to significantly decrease on days 3 and 4 (P < .05) and further declined to 1.533 mmol/L on day 5 in the VPBM group compared with 3.360 mmol/L in the control group (P < .0001).
• Additionally, SpO₂ levels started to significantly increase from day 2, persisted through consecutive days, and further intensified on day 5. Creatinine levels decreased from day 1, and the decrease was maintained throughout the study period in the VPBM group.

IN PRACTICE:

“The consistent normalization of these [metabolic] biomarkers positions VPBM as a promising adjunct therapy for sepsis management. These findings suggest two immediate clinical implications: (1) VPBM could be incorporated into existing sepsis protocols as a safe, nonpharmacological intervention to modulate inflammatory responses and enhance tissue perfusion, and (2) the treatment’s noninvasive nature makes it particularly suitable for critically ill patients,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Adriano Correia de Sousa, Universidade Brasil, Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was published online on August 13, 2025, in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.

LIMITATIONS:

The study had a small sample size, which may have limited the detection of subtle effects. The short 5-day follow-up period prevented the assessment of long-term outcomes. Additionally, the scope of biomarker analysis was limited as researchers did not evaluate key inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress markers, or mitochondrial function parameters.

DISCLOSURES:

No funding sources have been explicitly mentioned for this study.The authors reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.