The Effect of Polarized Light on Immune System in Major Burns

Abstract

Background: Burn injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Major burns trigger immune dysregulation, increasing the risk of infection and delaying wound healing.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the polarized light therapy (BLT) on immunity in major burns.
Patients and Methods: Sixty patients who have partial thickness thermal or electrical burn affecting with the percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) ranging from 20% to 30% and after 14 days of burn. They participated in the study and recruited from the Electricity Hospital Burn Unit. Their ages ranged from 35 to 45 years, the patients randomly divided into two equal groups in number, (study group) (A) composed of thirty patients who received the bioptron hyperlight therapy and conservative treatment of the burn wound for two months and group (B) (control group) composed of thirty patients who received only conservative treatment routine for the burn wound for t wo months without any intervention modalities.: Blood cellular immunity T lymphocytes ,monocytes and colony count were assessed to detect spreads of germs and infection in wound and burn.
Results: The number of patients who had positive wound culture post treatment in study group was 3 (10%) and in control group was 11 (37%). There was a significant decrease in positive wound culture of study group compared with that of control group post treatment (p=0.01). The mean±SD monocytes pretreatment of study group was 1.25±0.36 103/uL and that post treatment was 0.69±0.27 103/uL. The mean difference between pre and post treatment was 0.56 103/uL and the percent of change was 44.80%. There was a significant decrease in monocytes in study group post treatment compared with pretreatment (p=0.001). The mean±SD T-lymphocytes post treatment of study group was 1.71±0.46 103/uLand that of control group was 2.12±0.51103/uL. The mean difference between groups was -0.41103/uL. There was a significant decrease in T-lymphocytes of study group compared with control group post treatment (p=0.002).
Conclusions: Polarized light therapy may facilitate the resolution of the post-burn inflammatory response, as reflected by the normalization of T-lymphocyte and monocyte counts during wound healing. These findings suggest that its benefit is related to modulating and resolving burn-induced immune activation rather than stimulating the immune system. Further studies using comprehensive immunological biomarkers are needed to confirm these effects and clarify the underlying mechanisms.