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Thumb OsteoarthritisHLEX-TONCT07566507

High-Energy Laser in the Conservative Treatment of Rhizarthrosis

A study testing THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy) in people with Thumb Osteoarthritis and Hand Injuries, run by Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari at 1 site in Italy.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that can affect the hands and is particularly debilitating when it involves the trapeziometacarpal joint (rhizarthrosis). It causes pain, deformity, limited movement and strength, joint instability, resulting in significant limitations in daily activities.Many… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Thumb Osteoarthritis, Hand Injuries, Laser
What is being tested?
THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy)
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
42 participants
Where
1 siteItaly
Study dates
1 Nov 2025to 1 Dec 2028
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • arthrosis of the trapezoid-metacarpal with stage 1 or 2 of the Eaton-Littler radiographic classification and pain (recent radiograph within 6 months previously);
  • clinical picture that has been occurring for at least 6 months;
  • pain scored with VAS scale at least 4/10.

Who cannot join

  • rheumatoid arthritis or outcomes of trauma in the affected area, contra-indications to treatment with laser therapy (neoplasia, pregnancy, thrombocytopenia, epilepsy, uncompensated heart disease or arrhythmia, pacemaker, local infections),
  • corticosteroid infiltration or physical therapy in the previous 4 weeks.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Italy1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Angela Notarnicola

    Bari, 70124

    Angela Notarnicola, 0805592938, angelanotarnicola@yahoo.it

    Recruiting

Other trials in Italy

About this study

Official title: High Intensity Laser Therapy (HL) vs Exercise in Thumb Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that can affect the hands and is particularly debilitating when it involves the trapeziometacarpal joint (rhizarthrosis). It causes pain, deformity, limited movement and strength, joint instability, resulting in significant limitations in daily activities.Many conservative treatments, such as medications, therapeutic exercises, physical therapy, and orthoses, are effective for managing hand OA. For patients who do not respond to conservative treatments, surgical intervention will be necessary.

Read the detailed description

Among physical therapies, in recent years particular interest has been focused on the laser (Light Amplification through the Stimulated Emission of Radiation), which exploits the biological effects induced by electromagnetic emission, consisting of increased mitochondrial oxidation, which facilitates the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), increased cellular metabolism, and blood circulation, with rapid absorption of edema and removal of exudates. These actions induce significant anti-inflammatory, proliferative, and analgesic effects on various orthopedic conditions. So far, low-energy lasers have been used in rehabilitative treatments. Currently, there is growing interest in using high-energy lasers, which have a greater ability to penetrate deeply into the tissues and to biostimulate the affected area.The first studies investigating the effects of high-energy laser in this pathology provide interesting results. Medina-Porqueres et al. in 2017 published a study protocol for high-energy laser treatment in rhizarthrosis, which involved randomization to experimental treatment or placebo, but to date the results have not been disclosed. Cantero-Téllez and colleagues (2020) treated 43 patients with rhizarthrosis, randomizing them to an experimental group (high-energy laser) or placebo. They found a remission of pain at the end of high-energy laser treatment, noting, however, that the benefits subsided within 12 weeks. Guo and colleagues (2023) also randomized 42 patients with rhizarthrosis to high-energy laser treatment with occupational therapy guidance or to short-wave treatment and orthosis; their experience has shown that experimental treatment with high-energy laser allowed for improvement in pain and pinch function of the thumb at 12 weeks. The aim of our study is to further investigate the therapeutic effectiveness of high-energy laser treatment in hand osteoarthritis.

Being tested
THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy)
Keywords
hand, rehabilitation, conservative, lasertherapy, exercise
Medical subject headings
Hand Injuries, Motor Activity

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy)Device

    Also called High Intensity laser therapy

    laser therapy

Study groups in NCT07566507
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
High Intenisity Lasertherapy groupExperimentalThe high-energy, multimodal laser therapy with thermal control (THEAL) will be administered using an Ixyon XP device (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy), which allows the delivery of 4 wavelengths (650 nm, 810 nm, 980 nm, and 1064 nm) in continuous and pulsed mode, with an average power of up to 30 W, administering 10 sessions on alternate days.
Receives: Device: THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy)
Exercise groupNo interventionPatients will perform exercises for 4 weeks following recruitment. Patients in this group will be taught home exercises to improve the dynamic stability of the thumb metacarpal trapezius joint. The patient is instructed to perform a flexion of the trapeziometacarpal. If the individual is able to complete 10 repetitions with good technique, resistance will be added manually or with rubber bands. If this exercise is painful, they are asked to return to active movement only. Patients in both groups will be instructed to use a brace during the day for 4 weeks following recruitment.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. recovery of pain

    The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."

    Measured: change between baseline to 1 month

  2. recovery of pain

    The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."

    Measured: change between baseline to 3 month

  3. recovery of pain

    The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."

    Measured: change between baseline to 6 month

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. functional recovery

    The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.

    Measured: change between baseline to 1 month

  2. functional recovery

    The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.

    Measured: change between baseline to 3 month

  3. functional recovery

    The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.

    Measured: change between baseline to 6 month

  4. disability recovery

    The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability

    Measured: change between baseline to 1 month

  5. disability recovery

    The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability

    Measured: change between baseline to 3 month

  6. disability recovery

    The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability

    Measured: change between baseline to 6 month

  7. perception of clinical improvement

    Maudsley and Roles scale scores range from 0-4 points for excellent to poor

    Measured: change between 3 to 6 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted5 May 2026
  2. Study start1 Nov 2025
  3. Primary completion1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion1 Dec 2028 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
randomized prospective
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
42 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07566507
Sponsor's protocol ID
HLEX-TO
Acronym
HLEX-TO
Status last verified
Oct 2025
First submitted
27 Apr 2026
Last updated
15 May 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Medina-Porqueres I, Cantero-Tellez R. Class IV laser therapy for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis: Study protocol for a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Physiother Res Int. 2018 Apr;23(2):e1706. doi: 10.1002/pri.1706. Epub 2018 Mar 9.

    PubMed 29520953
  • Pisano K, Wolfe T, Lubahn J, Cooney T. Effect of a stabilization exercise program versus standard treatment for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: A randomized trial. J Hand Ther. 2023 Jul-Sep;36(3):546-559. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2022.03.009. Epub 2022 Jul 8.

    PubMed 35811182
  • Moulton MJ, Parentis MA, Kelly MJ, Jacobs C, Naidu SH, Pellegrini VD Jr. Influence of metacarpophalangeal joint position on basal joint-loading in the thumb. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001 May;83(5):709-16. doi: 10.2106/00004623-200105000-00009.

    PubMed 11379740
  • Pellegrini VD Jr. Osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb. Orthop Clin North Am. 1992 Jan;23(1):83-102.

    PubMed 1729673
  • Mobargha N, Esplugas M, Garcia-Elias M, Lluch A, Megerle K, Hagert E. The effect of individual isometric muscle loading on the alignment of the base of the thumb metacarpal: a cadaveric study. J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2016 May;41(4):374-9. doi: 10.1177/1753193415597114. Epub 2015 Aug 6.

    PubMed 26253421
  • O'Brien VH, Giveans MR. Effects of a dynamic stability approach in conservative intervention of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb: a retrospective study. J Hand Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;26(1):44-51; quiz 52. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2012.10.005. Epub 2012 Nov 21.

    PubMed 23177671
  • Henry KD, Rosemond C, Eckert LB. Effect of number of home exercises on compliance and performance in adults over 65 years of age. Phys Ther. 1999 Mar;79(3):270-7.

    PubMed 10078770
  • Zhang W, Doherty M, Leeb BF, Alekseeva L, Arden NK, Bijlsma JW, Dincer F, Dziedzic K, Hauselmann HJ, Herrero-Beaumont G, Kaklamanis P, Lohmander S, Maheu E, Martin-Mola E, Pavelka K, Punzi L, Reiter S, Sautner J, Smolen J, Verbruggen G, Zimmermann-Gorska I. EULAR evidence based recommendations for the management of hand osteoarthritis: report of a Task Force of the EULAR Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutics (ESCISIT). Ann Rheum Dis. 2007 Mar;66(3):377-88. doi: 10.1136/ard.2006.062091. Epub 2006 Oct 17.

    PubMed 17046965
  • Hochberg MC, Altman RD, April KT, Benkhalti M, Guyatt G, McGowan J, Towheed T, Welch V, Wells G, Tugwell P; American College of Rheumatology. American College of Rheumatology 2012 recommendations for the use of nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies in osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012 Apr;64(4):465-74. doi: 10.1002/acr.21596.

    PubMed 22563589

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing THEAL:Ixyon XP (Mectronic, Bergamo, Italy) in people with Thumb Osteoarthritis and Hand Injuries, run by Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari at 1 site in Italy.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Italy. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact angela notarnicola (+393385678124, angela.notarnicola@uniba.it), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

recovery of pain (time frame: change between baseline to 1 month). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07566507, which also lists 9 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 May 2026.

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