Role of gallium arsenide laser irradiation at 890 nm as an adjunctive to anti-tuberculosis drugs in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis is a global emergency with about nine million people developing disease every year. The long duration of treatment has emerged as a major obstacle in the control of tuberculosis. There is a need for development of new drugs and or shortened therapy.
                The present study was carried out to explore whether any benefit could be achieved by the addition of low level energy laser therapy (LLLT) to the conventional anti-tubercular chemotherapy. One-hundred-thirty new sputum smear positive patients of pulmonary tuberculosis were enrolled to evaluate the bio-stimulatory effects of Gallium Arsenide laser irradiation at 890 nm, as an adjuvant therapy. These patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive either LLLT or sham irradiation (control) concomitantly with anti-tuberculosis chemotherpy.
                The patients treated with semiconductor laser as an adjuvant therapy along with anti-tuberculosis drugs had a faster clearance of tubercle bacilli from the sputum as compared to the control group (P value at :45 days=0.1392, 60 days=0.0117, 75 days=0.00805, 90 days=0.00739).
                These findings provide preliminary evidence that low level laser therapy with Gallium Arsenide laser may be a promising adjunctive therapy for patients with tuberculosis. Faster conversion of sputum should prevent the development of resistant mutants.
The use of low level laser therapy for treating tuberculosis is still not supported by reliable evidence. Researchers need to focus on conducting well-designed randomized controlled trials to justify the continued participation of volunteers for studies of this experimental intervention.