The purposes of this study are to determine and compare efficacy of laser acupuncture versus reflexology in elderly with rheumatoid arthritis. Thirty elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis aged between 60 and 70 years were classified into two groups, 15 patients each. Group A received laser acupuncture therapy (904 nm, beam area of 1cm, power 100 mW, power density 100 mW/cm, energy dosage 4 J, energy density 4 J/cm, irradiation time 40 s, and frequency 100,000 Hz). The acupuncture points that were exposed to laser radiation are LR3, ST25, ST36, SI3, SI4, LI4, LI11, SP6, SP9, GB25, GB34, and HT7. While group B received reflexology therapy, both offered 12 sessions over 4 weeks. The changes in RAQoL, HAQ, IL-6, MDA, ATP, and ROM at wrist and ankle joints were measured at the beginning and end of treatment. There was significant decrease in RAQoL, HAQ, IL-6, and MDA pre/posttreatment for both groups (p < 0.05); significant increase in ATP pre/posttreatment for both groups (p < 0.05); significant increase in ankle dorsi-flexion, plantar-flexion, wrist flexion, extension, and ulnar deviation ROM pre/posttreatment in group A (p < 0.05); and significant increase in ankle dorsi-flexion and ankle plantar-flexion ROM pre/posttreatment in group B (p < 0.05). Comparison between both groups showed a statistical significant decrease in MDA and a statistical significant increase in ATP in group A than group B. Percent of changes in MDA was 41.82%↓ in group A versus 21.68%↓ in group B; changes in ATP was 226.97%↑ in group A versus 67.02%↑ in group B. Moreover, there was a statistical significant increase in ankle dorsi-flexion, ankle plantar-flexion, wrist flexion, wrist extension, and radial deviation in group A than group B. Laser therapy is associated with significant improvement in MDA and ATP greater than reflexology. In addition, it is associated with significant improvement in ankle dorsi-flexion, ankle plantar-flexion, wrist flexion, wrist extension, and radial deviation greater than reflexology in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

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Purpose. This is the first comparative study aimed to find out the effect of moderate continuous aerobic exercise versus the widely popular body reshaping intervention, cryolipolysis, on cortisol (stress hormone), aerobic capacity (VO2max), 6-minute walking test (6MWT) in central-obesity (CO) patients. Methods. Sixty CO patients (30 men and 30 women) were recruited from El Zawia El Hamra One Day Surgery Egyptian Hospital with a body mass index (BMI) ranged from 35–39.9 kg/m2 to be randomly assigned to the aerobic continuous moderate-intensity exercise group (thirty patients who received 30 minutes of treadmill walking, 3 sessions per week) and cryolipolysis group (thirty patients received on-abdomen one session for 60 minutes weekly). Both groups were ordered to reduce their daily diets to 1500–1800 Kcal/day (the diet was revised by a diet specialist every 14 days to consider the inclusion of fat (20–25%), carbohydrate (high complex, 50–60%), and protein components (25–30%). Anthropometry (weight, BMI, and waist circumference), plasma cortisol, VO2max, and 6MWD were assessed before and after 12-week cryolipolysis and exercise. Results. A significantly improved difference was extracted using paired tests either within-exercise or with-cryolipolysis groups regarding the patients' weight, BMI, cortisol, VO2max, and 6MWT. In favor of the exercise group, the post-treatment comparison between exercise and cryolipolysis groups showed a more marked significant statistical difference (p < 0.05) regarding the patients' weight, BMI, VO2max, and 6MWD. In favor of the cryolipolysis group, post-treatment waist circumference showed a more marked significant decrease when compared to its post-treatment level of the exercise group. Regarding post cortisol levels between exercise and cryolipolysis groups, a non-significant difference was reported. Conclusion: After the addition of aerobic exercise or cryolipolysis to a 12-week supervised DR plan, both therapeutic interventions can improve central fat deposition, weight, cortisol, VO2max, and 6MWT in CO patients.

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Introduction.The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of low level laser therapy (extravascular laser blood irradiation) on glycaemic levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods. Sixty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus lasting more than 1 year, aged 45-60 years, receiving 2 types of medication (metformin and sulphonylurea) were randomly divided into 2 equal groups. The laser group received laser therapy (low level laser therapy, 3 sessions/week for 12 weeks) combined with their prescribed hypoglycaemic medications, while the comparative group received the prescribed hypoglycaemic medications only. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, 75-g oral glucose tolerance, and fasting C-peptide were evaluated before and after the therapy in both groups, while the glycaemic level was checked before and after each laser session to determine the acute effect of laser. Results. All variables were tested with mixed MANoVA, with a statistical significance level at p < 0.05. There was a significant post-treatment decrease in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, and oral glucose tolerance in the laser group compared with the control group (p < 0.05), but no significant difference for post-treatment fasting C-peptide between the groups (p > 0.05). Regarding the acute effect of laser, a significant decrease was observed in the blood glucose level after the laser sessions (p = 0.0001), with a mean difference of 22.73 mg/dl. Conclusions. The study showed a considerable positive effect of extravascular low level laser therapy on the glycaemic levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.