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Even though we’ve been in the pandemic for over a year now, we are still collecting knowledge on the disease. No one could’ve prepared us for the impact of this virus, and COVID-19 has changed our lives forever.
It is a disease caused by the coronavirus, and the symptoms are similar, but people react differently. It isn’t a virus that gives the same outcome, which is why we have to be so cautious with it. Most common symptoms include fever and dry cough, and extreme fatigue. Apart from those, the other major symptoms are a loss of smell and taste, joint pain, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and headaches.
Scientists and doctors have learned that respiratory problems are the biggest issue while having the disease. The downfall of our immune system during COVID-19 is what gives a chance for pneumonia to develop. Apart from those symptoms and the dangers of getting pneumonia, there’s also potential long-term effects.
So far, only one peer-reviewed study has reported results on the long-term symptoms of COVID-19 infection: a single group of 143 survivors from Rome. Most of them did not need hospitalization and were assessed at least 60 days after infection. They reported a worsened quality of life in 44.1% of cases, including symptoms of persistent fatigue (53.1%), breathlessness (43.4%), joint pain (27.3%), and chest pain (21.7%).
Treatment has evolved within this short period, and now with the vaccine in power, it poses a question: is it the only solution? It's still necessary to nourish our immune system no matter what; intake of vitamins and supplements is still highly advised. But naturally, aside from the vaccine, you would want a non-invasive alternative as well, which is where light therapy comes into play.
Red light therapy is a non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical method of treatment. It works with light that emits at a close, safe distance, penetrating into the cells. Once it reaches cell level, it helps reproduce ATP, which gives a higher and better cell turnout.
Our cells rejuvenate and reproduce themselves; light therapy only aids in this natural process. With light therapy, we get a better and higher count of cells that are genetically improved over time with treatment.
The ways in which light therapy can help with COVID-19 have been studied for a while now, and we shared some information on early clinical trials with you previously.
Light therapy can help with COVID-19 in reducing severity and prominence of symptoms; it works so that light therapy generates the activation of mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS), thus resulting in the reduced expression of viral spike protein and restores the proliferation of infected cells.
Your cells are healing your body by using light therapy––similar to how UV light therapy aids wound healing––and it is there to provide you with more vital cells for your system. A significant reduction of viral infection in the trachea was noticed, the spots where we notice symptoms first, such as our nose and our throats. This means that light therapy helps regulate and decrease the possibility of getting a respiratory disease like pneumonia.
A significantly smaller level of C-reactive protein was observed within seven days of UVA therapy regarding biochemical parameters. It proves that light therapy helps with the deconstruction of damaging proteins in our cells.
Photo-disinfection is used to get rid of harmful bacteria from surgical patients; this is only another form of that. There's also a method where a non-toxic dye is inserted into the nose. It is one that is triggered by light, and then it is measured whether or not the light therapy device has successfully inactivated the virus. This method is used in the early stages of COVID-19.
The one used in the beforehand mentioned study included a light therapy device equipped with a multi-LED UVA light catheter connected to the nasal tube to deliver UVA light to the patients. Our devices are created with multi-LED, so the type of light therapy is your choice, depending on your needs.
The UVA therapy was administered for 20 minutes to all patients once daily for 5 consecutive days. Before the treatment, all patients received oxygen supplementation for 30 minutes. The regimen varies however light therapy should be done consecutively and 10 to 15 minutes.
The coronavirus is still here, but you’re not defenseless. Kaiyan Medical works to develop the best high-quality light therapy devices, with FDA-approved and MDASAP-certified light therapy devices perfect for at-home treatments.
Whether you’re looking to bolster your immune system or wish to provide non-invasive treatment to patients with COVID-19, light therapy is an incredibly powerful and effective tool in fighting the serious symptoms of this virus. Contact our team for more information.
Based on the American Journal of Case Reports e-ISSN 1941–5923, © Am J Case Rep, 2020; 21: e926779 DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.926779.
Authors: Scott A. Sigman, Soheila Mokmeli, Monica Monici, Mariana A. Vetrici
Team Physician, UMASS Lowell, Fellow of the World Society of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Chelmsford, MA, USA
See the full-text PDF here.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The presentation of COVID-19 includes dyspnea, lung edema, and pneumonia. Morbidity and mortality are associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and cytokine storm. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are classified as severe if they require intensive care unit (ICU) admission [1,2]. Here, we report the first case of the use of supportive or adjunctive photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) is the best technical term for Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). It is a light therapy using lasers or LEDs to improve tissue repair, reduce pain and inflammation wherever the beam is applied.
PBMT is an emerging alternative modality with demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in pain management, lymphedema, wound healing, and musculoskeletal injuries. Additional terms for PBMT include low-level laser (or light) therapy (LLLT), cold laser, and photobiostimulation. The effects of PBMT differ from the thermal effects produced by the high-power lasers used in cosmetic and surgical procedures to destroy the tissue. PBMT is non-invasive, cost-effective, and has no known adverse effects.
Empirical use of PBMT in children, adults, and elderly patients with pneumonia, asthma, chronic bronchitis, or pulmonary fibrosis resulted in reduced chest pain and heaviness, normalization of respiratory function, shortened recovery times, and improved immunological and radiological parameters.
A 57-year-old African American man with a history of hypertension and asthma presented with shortness of breath, severe dehydration ´ renal failure. A physical examination revealed labored breathing, weakness, and fatigue. Chest X-rays demonstrated worsening bilateral lung infiltrates. The patient had been in the ICU for respiratory depression.
The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed for this patient by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction by the nasopharyngeal swab. Patient consent was obtained for an FDA-guided and International Review Board-approved trial of laser treatment for COVID-19 (Lowell General Hospital Federal-wide Assurance number 0001427).
The patient was treated with an FDA-cleared Multiwave Locked System (MLS) Therapy Laser (ASA Laser, Italy.) The MLS laser utilizes a mobile scanner with 2 synchronized laser diodes, one in pulse mode (adjustable to 1–2000 Hz), emitting at 905 nm, and another in pulsed mode emitting at 808 nm. The 2 laser beams work simultaneously and synchronously. This laser is used in pain centers for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and inflammation.
The patient tolerated all 4 daily treatments and noted significant improvement in breathing immediately after each treatment. Paroxysmal coughing spells resolved after the third treatment. Upon completion of the fourth treatment, the patient was able to ambulate in the room with physical therapy. On the day following his final treatment, the patient was discharged to an acute rehabilitation facility on 1 L/min oxygen. On the day after arrival to the acute rehabilitation facility, the patient was able to complete 2 trials of stair climbing with physical therapy and was in the process of weaning to room air.
The patient’s response to PBMT was evaluated by comparing different scoring tools before and after laser therapy. The patient showed improvement in all evaluation criteria.
This report has presented a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia associated with ARDS who was given a supportive treatment with PBMT. Based on this case report, as well as clinical experience of PBMT in respiratory tract diseases in humans, professionals consider PBMT to be a feasible adjunct modality for the treatment of COVID-19. There are published experimental work demonstrating the anti-inflammatory effect of PBMT on lung tissue. Professionals suggest that the use of adjunct PBMT in the early stages of severe ARDS seen in COVID-19 patients can enhance healing and reduce the need for prolonged ventilator support and ICU stay.
China’s overall economic recovery in part has been attributed to the strong rebound in the manufacturing sector. The medical device manufacturing sector specifically recorded an astounding 46.4% growth.
Despite living in the age of automation, labor remains one of the higher costs of manufacturing. Manufacturing companies in the west have to deal with worker’s unions, paying high wages, and inflexible staffing that cannot readily scale and resize as fluctuating production output needs may require. On the other hand, achieving this flexibility level is easier for Chinese manufacturers due to China’s readily available, efficient workforce. This used to be the primary reason for companies to outsource their manufacturing activities in China.
Manufacturing in China can significantly bring down overall production costs, and a large part of those savings is due to Chinese labor efficiency. Chinese facilities have been optimizing manufacturing costs for decades and have largely achieved very efficient workforce operations. Depending on the labor intensity of product manufacturing activities, a Chinese facility can offer an excellent number of parts produced per work hour spent.
Another most important manufacturing cost is raw materials cost, for which China also provides a cost-effective option, for two main reasons. Firstly, the same labor efficiency condition exists throughout the entire raw materials production value chain. So Chinese manufacturing companies can themselves access cost-efficient raw materials than most companies based in other countries. Secondly, the transfer of materials is cheap since it only happens from close sources and within China. This results in avoiding long shipping routes, additional customs tariffs, and long delivery waiting times. When manufacturers in all industries are trying to cut expenses and maximize profits to remain competitive, access to affordable raw materials can help bring down manufacturing costs to a considerable extent.
Most Chinese manufacturing facilities will typically have low cost local (or close) material suppliers. This way, they gain a significant cost advantage that further contributes to their cost-effectiveness.
Companies worldwide are nowadays targeting the growing Asian markets, so much so that the phrase “expand to Asia” has become somewhat of a cliché business term. China is the largest of those markets, with its consumer market surpassing $6 trillion in value. Moreover, it also benefits from its proximity to several large and growing markets, such as India and South Korea. In terms of regulatory compliance, medical devices of Chinese manufacturing have no issues in being accepted in both the country’s domestic and other Asian markets. So outsourcing medical device production to China gives manufacturers access to its rapidly growing domestic market, as well as immediate access to its developing neighboring markets.
In times of market, instability is when a supply chain is a huge determining factor for a manufacturer’s chance for survival. Chinese materials suppliers have been rapidly evolving, following the country's growing trend of becoming an international manufacturing hub. This has made it easier for medical device contract manufacturers to identify and establish a trustworthy network of reliable local suppliers.
This gives the more top tier Chinese manufacturers such as Kaiyan, the opportunity to create resilience in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. Additionally, a robust supply chain allows for a manufacturer’s flexibility to offer simple, efficient, and flexible options for increasing or scaling production as market needs change. What’s also important is that this supply chain evolution has also increased quality standards, which is a decisive factor in medical device manufacturing.
Realizing the potential of its market in the era of globalization, China has spent the last decades developing its technology. Heavy investments in research and development, importing talent and technology, and the emergence of specialized tech hubs have helped China gain an innovation edge over other emerging countries. The mentality of rapid research and development is of notable importance and surpasses the speed of many tech hubs in the west. Part of the reason this happens is that such a large portion of the world’s product manufacturing has been outsourced to China. And the low costs achieved by Chinese companies are not the result of just cheap labor, but also, to an extent, involve practical applications of innovative technologies.
Another benefit of manufacturing in China is the ability to scale up or down as needs change. Top tier Chinese factories such as Kaiyan’s facilities are manufacturing products for many companies at the same facility, so they have the means to produce large quantities and adapt according to the market’s and customer’s needs. And being able to scale up easily is an obvious advantage. A critical characteristic of every trade is offering product availability. As you market your medical device to new markets, customers, importers, and distributors, you will be required to increase quantities and ensure timely delivery. Manufacturing your medical device in a Chinese facility that can support scaling up production becomes an obvious advantage.
Ontario is a known leader in conducting innovative clinical trials, and the clinical trials community in Ontario has proven this strength throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. One innovative trial underway in Ontario is Vielight Inc.’s COVIDlight trial, which tests whether the recovery of COVID-19 patients may be accelerated by the use of a specialized light therapy device. This trial was made possible in part by Clinical Trials Ontario’s Trial Site Network through a connection made between Vielight Inc. and Impact Clinical Trials. CTO spoke with representatives from Vielight and Impact Clinical Trials about their trial and their experience with the Trial Site Network.
Vielight Inc. has developed a compact and portable device named the “Vielight RX Plus,” based on the science of photobiomodulation (PBM). PBM uses certain light energy to modify cellular functions and can play a role in the management of COVID-19. This clinical trial assesses the efficacy of the Vielight RX Plus to reduce symptom duration and severity in patients suffering from COVID-19.
The Vielight RX Plus device delivers light therapy to the sternum and the nasal canal.
“This device brings a holistic approach to the treatment of COVID-19 patients,”
said Nazanin Hosseinkhah, Research Scientist and Physicist at Vielight Inc.
“The device stimulates the thymus gland, creates nitric oxide, increases natural killer cells, acts as an anti-inflammatory therapy, and increases cellular energy.”
This unique, at-home study has the potential to modulate immune cell and cytokine activity in COVID-19 patients with an easy to use the device.
“We are very hopeful that this trial will prove to help patients recover from COVID-19 at home, and result in less burden to the healthcare system,”
said Hosseinkhah.
This randomized controlled trial, being managed by Impact Clinical Trials, is actively recruiting 280 participants who are confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The trial was authorized by Health Canada in early September and is recruiting participants in Ontario and the United States. Participants are allocated into a treatment or a control group, with 140 participants randomized to receive the Vielight RX Plus device and the other 140 participants receiving the current standard of care. The trial is conducted remotely with non-hospitalized participants.
Participants in the treatment group receive the device by courier within 24 hours of registering for the trial. They are asked to place the device on their chest and onto their nostril for 20 mins each day. They then track their symptoms within a daily survey over a 30-day period.
“This is a simple, at-home study for participants to be involved in,”
said Andrea Berk from Impact Clinical Trials.
“Participants in both the treatment and the control groups are completely supported throughout the trial, with a 24-hour number they can call if they have any questions.”
This trial was made possible in part by a connection made directly through CTO’s Trial Site Network. The Trial Site Network, part of CTO’s Industry Concierge program, comprises more than 230 sites. The Network allows CTO to provide warm introductions to Ontario’s hospitals, research institutions, private research networks, and CROs.
“We have been able to guide companies such as Vielight in getting their trials up and running in Ontario,”
said Andrew Haller.
“I was introduced to Andrew Haller from CTO a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic,”
said Berk.
“Pre-COVID I was working on half a dozen connections that had been made through the Trial Site Network. When COVID-19 hit, those projects were put on hold. I reached out to Andrew to let him know Impact Clinical Trials had the consulting capacity, and that is when he introduced us to Vielight.”
Haller knew that Vielight had been searching for someone to take on the management of their clinical trial. “When Andrew introduced us to Andrea Berk from Impact Clinical Trials, we immediately connected and knew they were the right fit,” said Hosseinkhah.
COVID-19 has created challenges for nearly every market, and the medical device manufacturing industry is no exception. As the virus sweeps the globe, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for leaders to overcome the arising challenges and prepare for the future.
While I firmly believe the key to navigating this evolving landscape is putting quality at the forefront of all activities, a function made seamless through best of breed quality management tools, I was curious what other industry leaders had to say.
The following are some of their best tips for effectively leading and managing teams during the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing your organization for what’s to come.
Keep in touch. Let your people know where things stand with the business. At home or in the office practicing social distancing, each of your workers will be dealing with different issues, both private and professional. The distributed workforce requires even more channels to help people stay connected.
“Leadership needs to provide regular communication, be transparent about the impact of the pandemic on your company, and set expectations with your team, investors, partners, and customers. There is a great deal of uncertainty in the world, and clarity from management is one of the keys to a healthy organization.” — Paul Grand, CEO, MedTech Innovator
Be sensitive to employees’ personal situations. Every member has their own worries and family needs during this crisis. Review goals and when needed realign expectations to match current circumstances.
Balance the content. Focus on efficiency in meetings to ensure your team still has time to do their work and manage their personal situation. The recommended time for meetings should be 15 minutes with no more than 4 people per meeting
Office time should be reduced. To avoid conflicts, make sure yo manage expectations. Be clear about your expectations and the expectation from your team during these challenging times. The last thing you want to do is have misunderstandings or conflicts with a good working team.
The key purpose of a leader is to continuously motivate and support the team. Talk about work-life structures, supporting flexible working arrangements, and vocalizing empathy towards your workmates. As a leader, you must empower them to deliver their best work while being absolutely empathetic towards challenges in their life.
Focus on the fact that COVID-19 is temporary. The natural instinct may be to slow down and withdraw resources. Instead, this is an excellent time to strategically plan and dedicate time, staff, and resources to ensuring that the post-pandemic time capitalizes on key changes.
Just because you can’t conduct research the way you always have doesn’t mean you can’t conduct research at all. It is important to stay flexible with the research methods you use. Understanding the pros and cons of each method and their overall ability to contribute to your research goal is critical to conducting meaningful and useful research.
All companies are working to lead their teams through today’s challenges with confidence. By taking care of your team and keeping quality you will improve the teamwork collaboration, communication, and transparency.
