Effects of Adjunct Low-Level Laser Therapy and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Pulmonary Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

This study explores the effects of adjunctive low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), ICU length of stay (LOS), and mortality in ICU patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). A retrospective study was conducted on 110 mechanically ventilated patients at Saiful Anwar General Hospital in 2024, divided into four intervention groups: PR only, PR+LLLT, PR+NMES, and PR+LLLT+NMES. Duration of MV and ICU LOS were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, and mortality using the Chi-square test, followed by post hoc analysis. Results showed no significant difference in duration of MV between interventions (p 0.125). ICU LOS differed significantly be-tween interventions (p 0.044), with a shorter stay in the PR-only group compared to PR+NMES (p 0.014). Mortality also differed significantly between interventions (p 0.000), with lower rates in PR+NMES and PR+LLLT+NMES (p 0.012 & p 0.006) compared to other groups. Adjunctive NMES alone or combined with LLLT may contributes to better survival in mechanically ventilated ICU patients despite longer ICU stay and ventilator durations.

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