Blue Light as an Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Strategy in Thoracic Trauma: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Adults With Rib Fractures

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Device
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

The main goal of this clinical trial is to learn if light therapy improves pain and inflammation in adults with painful rib fractures. The main question it aims to answer is: \- Does bright blue light therapy in addition to standard pain treatments improve pain with breathing in adults with painful rib fractures? Researchers will compare participants who receive bright blue light therapy to participants who receive white light therapy and participants who receive only usual lighting conditions to look for differences in their pain control. In addition to their assigned light treatment, all participants will receive standard pain control treatments. Participants will be assigned randomly to one of three groups: one-third will be assigned to bright blue light therapy, one-third will be assigned to bright white light therapy, and one-third will be assigned to usual light only. They will receive their assigned light treatment for 4 hours during the morning/early afternoon for up to 3 days while they are in the hospital. On each day they receive the light treatment and on the day after their final light treatment: * They will be asked twice to rate their pain at rest and with taking a deep breath. * They will be tested to confirm that they are not experiencing delirium, or confusion related to being in the hospital. * They will be asked to wear a heart monitor to look for changes in their heart rate. * Blood samples will be collected to look for changes in inflammation and the circadian clock, the body's natural 24-hour cycle.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Age greater than or equal to 18 years

• Admitted to a single large academic level I trauma center (Presbyterian/Montefiore hospital) within the first 24 hours of traumatic injury

• Greater than or equal to 1 acute rib fracture

• Pain related to rib fracture(s), scoring greater than or equal to 4/10 on NRS with incentive spirometer use at the time of informed consent

• Anticipated length of stay greater than or equal to 48 hours

• Alert, with capacity to provide informed consent

Locations
United States
Pennsylvania
Presbyterian Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
RECRUITING
Pittsburgh
Contact Information
Primary
Rebecca E Kotcher, MD
kotcherre@upmc.edu
412-647-7243
Time Frame
Start Date: 2024-10-23
Estimated Completion Date: 2026-05
Participants
Target number of participants: 75
Treatments
Experimental: Bright Blue Light
The light therapy lamp will be covered with a filter selecting for short wavelength blue light (peak 442 nm, intensity \~1400 lux).
Active_comparator: Bright Full-Spectrum (White) Light
The light therapy lamp will be covered with a filter modifying only the light's intensity (\~1400 lux).
Other: Usual Ambient Light
Participants assigned to the usual light arm will be exposed only to the usual lighting conditions of the hospital ward.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Leads: Rebecca E Kotcher, MD
Collaborators: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov