2026/07/28 by Paiva, Gabriela Marques, Masson, Maria Lúcia Vaz, Bleno Barbosa Martins +1
#Dysphonia #Medicine and Health Sciences #Photobiomodulation #Vocal training #Voice #voice therapy
paper · doi:10.17605/osf.io/42nza
Abstract Objective: To map the use and applicability of photobiomodulation in vocal interventions and analyze the current level of available evidence. Introduction: Photobiomodulation (PBM) has emerged as a complementary therapeutic device in voice clinics, capable of modulating inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration. This potential has drawn increasing attention in Speech-Language Pathology. Inclusion criteria: Studies will be included if they involve participants who are vocally healthy or present with dysphonia and provide a clear and explicit description of a vocal intervention using photobiomodulation (PBM). Case series, pre- and post-intervention studies, quasi-experimental, and experimental studies will be considered eligible. Methods: Electronic searches were conducted in the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) via the Virtual Health Library (VHL), Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science, EMBASE (Elsevier), Scielo, and the Cochrane Library. Additionally, a manual search was performed in the Gray literature, including the first 100 results of Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (DLTD), and medRxiv. The selection process comprised three sequential stages: (1) removal of duplicates; (2) reading of titles and abstracts, according to the inclusion criteria; and (3) reading in full, considering the exclusion criteria. Two independent and blinded reviewers (BBM and GMP) conducted the selection process, and any disagreements were resolved by consensus. The extracted data were categorized into the following groups of variables: Characteristics of the publication,Characteristics of the population,Characteristics of the intervention,and Outcomes assessed. Results (For Reviews ONLY): It is expected that the review will identify and organize evidence supporting the safe and potentially beneficial use of photobiomodulation in vocal interventions, outlining its main clinical applications and parameters. At the same time, the findings are expected to reveal research gaps and methodological variability, highlighting the need for protocol standardization and further clinical validation. Conclusions (For Reviews ONLY): This review is expected to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the evidence on photobiomodulation in vocal interventions, supporting a clearer understanding of its clinical applicability and safety. The findings may contribute to guiding evidence-based practice and future research aimed at developing standardized and effective PBM protocols in Speech-Language Pathology. Keywords: Photobiomodulation; Voice; Dysphonia; Vocal training; voice therapy