{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T18:03:49Z","timestamp":1784570629295,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784505600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003625","name":"Ministry of Health and Welfare","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["RS-2023-KH139215"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2023-KH139215"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003625","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title\/>\n                    <jats:p>This pilot study explored the safety and efficacy of invasive laser acupuncture (ILA) using two wavelengths (650 and 830 nm) compared with a sham laser in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). This randomized, parallel-arm, patient- and outcome assessor-blinded, placebo-controlled, single-center clinical trial was designed with three groups (control, 650, and 830 nm), and 45 participants were randomly allocated in a ratio of 1:1:1. All participants were treated with ILA on the more affected side at SP9, SP10, ST34, ST35, EX-LE2, EX-LE4, and GB34 for 10 minutes per session, twice weekly, for a total of 12 sessions over 6 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in pain visual analog scale (VAS) score at rest and during activity at baseline (Visit 1) versus 1 week after intervention completion (Visit 13). Secondary outcomes included VAS scores after six treatments (Visit 7) and 6 weeks after intervention completion (Visit 14), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores, European Quality of Life Five Dimension Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5L), patient\u2019s global assessment, rescue medication dosage, and responder rate. Changes in the VAS scores at rest (p\u2009=\u20090.0044, Visit 13; p\u2009=\u20090.0001, Visit 14) and during activity (p\u2009=\u20090.0038, Visit 13; p\u2009&lt;\u20090.0001, Visit 14) were significantly different among the three groups. Significant differences were also observed in WOMAC total (p\u2009=\u20090.0278, Visit 7; p\u2009=\u20090.0485, Visit 13; p\u2009=\u20090.0051, Visit 14), pain (p\u2009=\u20090.0073, Visit 7; p\u2009=\u20090.0210, Visit 13; p\u2009=\u20090.0038, Visit 14), function subscale (p\u2009=\u20090.0055, Visit 14), and EQ-5D-5L scores (p\u2009=\u20090.0131, Visit 14). No ILA-related adverse events or significant changes in vital signs or laboratory results were observed during the study. ILA at 650 and 830 nm showed preliminary signals of short-term pain reduction. However, these preliminary findings should be confirmed in larger, rigorously designed clinical trials.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Trial registration<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      CRIS registration number: KCT0008860; registered on 10\/11\/2023 (\n                      <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" ext-link-type=\"uri\" xlink:href=\"https:\/\/cris.nih.go.kr\/cris\/search\/detailSearch.do\/25506\" xlink:type=\"simple\">https:\/\/cris.nih.go.kr\/cris\/search\/detailSearch.do\/25506<\/jats:ext-link>\n                      ).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  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