What is bright blue light therapy studying for painful rib fractures?

Bright blue light therapy is being studied to see if it can improve pain and inflammation in adults with painful rib fractures. Researchers want to find out if adding this therapy to standard pain treatments helps reduce chest pain when breathing. The study is led by Dr. Rebecca E Kotcher.

Who may be eligible for this rib fracture clinical trial?

Adults 18 years or older with at least one recent rib fracture and pain related to it may be eligible. Participants must be alert, able to consent, and admitted to the hospital within 48 hours of injury. Those on mechanical ventilation or with certain eye or brain conditions may not qualify. Please review eligibility criteria for more details.

Is there any cost to participate in this rib fracture clinical trial?

Study-related care, including the light therapy and all trial visits, is provided at no cost. However, personal travel or other expenses may vary and are not guaranteed to be covered. Participants can expect their study treatments and assessments without charge.

Actively Recruiting

Phase Not Applicable

Age: 18Years +

All Genders

ID06626334

Evaluating Bright Blue Light Therapy to Reduce Pain and Inflammation in Adults with Rib Fractures A Randomized Trial Comparing Blue, White, and Usual Light Treatments Alongside Standard Pain Care

Led by Rebecca E Kotcher, MD · Updated on 2026-03-04

Participants Needed

Research Sites

4 weeks

Total Duration

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating whether bright blue light therapy can help reduce pain and inflammation in adults with painful rib fractures. The study compares the effects of bright blue light therapy, bright white light therapy, and usual hospital lighting on pain control alongside standard pain treatments. The main question is whether adding bright blue light therapy improves pain experienced during breathing in these patients. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups bright blue light therapy, bright white light therapy, or usual ambient light. Those in the blue and white light groups will receive 4 hours of light therapy each morning or early afternoon for up to 3 days while hospitalized. The usual light group will be exposed only to the hospitals normal lighting conditions during this time. During the study, participants will rate their pain at rest and during deep breaths twice daily. They will also be monitored for delirium and have blood samples taken daily to assess inflammation and circadian rhythm markers. The primary outcome is chest wall pain intensity measured up to 72 hours. Safety and other health outcomes will be tracked over 30 days, and the total participation spans the hospital stay and immediate follow-up.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

Blue Light as an Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Strategy in Thoracic Trauma

How This Trial Compares With Other Options

This table compares participation in this trial with other options available for this condition. The information is drawn from published research and the trial’s study details and is provided for educational purposes only.

Factors	Bright Blue Light	Bright Full-Spectrum (White) Light	Usual Ambient Light
What it is	Therapy lamp with a blue filter delivers bright blue light to the participant at the bedside for 4 hours daily (morning/afternoon), for up to 3 days.	Therapy lamp with a neutral density (white) filter delivers bright full-spectrum (white) light to the participant under the same administration conditions.	No additional light is delivered; lamp present but switched off, with only usual ambient room light exposure for comparable periods.
Role in trial and clinical context	Investigational intervention evaluating blue light's potential to reduce pain and inflammation after rib fracture.	Active comparator condition controlling for general light exposure and attention effects in pain outcomes.	Control group reflecting typical ambient lighting conditions in the inpatient environment, lamp present but off.
Primary use or target outcome	Study evaluates its effects on chest wall pain intensity (with incentive spirometry), markers of inflammation, delirium, opioid requirements, and hospital-free days.	Used as an active control to isolate the specific effects of blue wavelength light versus general light on pain and related outcomes.	Serves as a baseline to assess the effect of added light interventions against standard clinical lighting conditions.
How it is given or performed	Delivered via blue-filtered lamp at bedside, approximately 12-14 inches from the participant’s eyes, for 4 hours per day, up to 3 consecutive days.	Delivered via white-filtered lamp at bedside, same distance and schedule as blue light group.	Lamp placed similarly but remains switched off; participant exposed to typical hospital room lighting only for 4 hours per day, up to 3 days.
Evidence status / supporting data	Limited clinical evidence for effect on pain or inflammation in human trauma; preclinical models suggest potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects including reduced organ injury and lower pro-inflammatory cytokines following blue light exposure.	No specific evidence supports white light for post-traumatic pain or inflammation; used as a control for light exposure unrelated to blue wavelength.	No evidence that usual hospital ambient lighting affects pain or inflammation after rib fracture independent of other treatments.
Important limitations	Clinical effects on pain and inflammation in humans are not established; most evidence comes from animal studies. Limited sample size and short intervention period in the ongoing trial.	Likely no specific therapeutic benefit for pain/inflammation; serves as an active control rather than a hypothesized treatment.	Does not represent an intervention for pain or inflammation; isolates effect of novel light therapy but is not itself a therapy.

Disclaimer: This comparison is created with the help of artificial intelligence(AI) and may contain errors or missing information. It is not medical advice and does not mean one option is better or safer than another. Clinical trials are still being studied, and joining a trial is your choice. Please consult your healthcare professional before making any decisions.

Who Can Participate

Age: 18Years +

All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

You may qualify if you...

Age greater than or equal to 18 years
Admitted to a single large academic level I trauma center within 48 hours of traumatic injury
At least 1 acute rib fracture
Pain related to rib fracture with at least one of: pain 4 or higher out of 10 at rest, pain 4 or higher with incentive spirometer use, or inspiratory volume less than 1000 cc
Anticipated hospital stay of at least 48 hours
Alert and able to provide informed consent

You will not qualify if you...

Receiving mechanical ventilation or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation before consent
Delirium at time of consent
Ocular trauma affecting light therapy
Traumatic brain injury, history of TBI, or stroke affecting light therapy
Splenectomy upon admission or history of splenectomy affecting light therapy
Significant ocular dysfunction such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, or cataracts
History of cataract surgery (possible blue light filtering lens)
History of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
History of dementia or other conditions preventing reliable pain or delirium assessment
Conditions preventing opening eyes for light therapy or reporting pain score
Corrected myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism with glasses or contacts not excluded

Your Study Journey

Screening

Duration - 2 to 4 weeks

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.

1 visit (in-person)

Implementation

Duration - Up to 3 days

Participants receive light therapy using a specialized lamp at bedside for 4 hours daily during the morning or early afternoon hours. This intervention is repeated for up to 3 days depending on the assigned group.

Daily sessions for up to 3 days

Follow-up

Duration - Up to 30 days

Participants are monitored for pain intensity, opioid use, inflammatory markers, and incidence of complications for up to 30 days after light therapy.

Assessments twice daily for up to 3 days; daily assessments up to 30 days