Physical therapy in burn care: Development of clinical prediction rules to determine the efficacy of low-level laser therapy

Abstract

This study aimed to demonstrate the benefits of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on burn healing and to investigate whether patients' age, burn wound size, wound stage, and total burned surface area influence the burn wound healing response to LLLT. This was a quasi-experimental study with a single-group design that included eighty male and female patients with partial-thickness burn wounds recruited from burn units. The participants were placed in a single intervention group receiving LLLT. The duration of the intervention was six weeks, divided into 18 sessions (three sessions per week). The statistical analysis was conducted using version 25 of the SPSS statistical package for Windows. The results showed a statistically significant negative relationship between wound improvement from LLLT and age (p < 0.05) and between total body surface area (TBSA) and wound improvement (p < 0.05). Additionally, a statistically significant positive relationship was found between initial wound size and wound improvement (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship between wound improvement and wound stage (p > 0.05). The current study revealed that age, TBSA, and initial wound size can predict the efficacy of low-level laser treatment for burn wounds.