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Short-term effects of three slow expiratory airway clearance techniques in patients with bronchiectasis: a randomised
B Herrero-Cortina1, J Vilaró2, D Martí3
1Pneumology Department, Clinic Institute of Thorax, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Institut d́Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi I Sunyer - Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red-Enfermedades Respiratorias, Barcelona, Spain; Health Sciences Faculty, San Jorge University, Zaragoza, Spain.
Objective:
To compare the efficacy of three slow expiratory airway clearance techniques (ACTs).
Design:
Randomised crossover trial.
Setting:
Tertiary hospital.
Participants:
Thirty-one outpatients with bronchiectasis and chronic sputum expectoration.
Interventions:
Autogenic drainage (AD), slow expiration with glottis opened in lateral posture (ELTGOL), and temporary positive expiratory pressure (TPEP).
Main Outcomes:
Sputum expectoration during each session (primary endpoint) and in the 24-hour period after each session. Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) score and spirometry results were recorded at the beginning and after each week of treatment. Data were summarised as median difference [95% confidence interval (CI)].
Results:
Median (interquartile range) daily expectoration at baseline was 21.1 (15.3 to 35.6)g. During physiotherapy sessions, AD and ELTGOL expectorated more sputum than TPEP [AD vs TPEP 3.1g (95% CI 1.5 to 4.8); ELTGOL vs TPEP 3.6g (95% CI 2.8 to 7.1)], while overall expectoration in the 24-hour period after each session was similar for all techniques (P=0.8). Sputum clearance at 24hours post-intervention was lower than baseline assessment for all techniques [AD vs baseline -10.0g (95% CI -15.0 to -6.8); ELTGOL vs baseline -9.2g (95% CI -14.2 to -7.9); TPEP vs baseline -6.0g (95% CI -12.0 to -6.1)]. The LCQ score increased with all techniques (AD 0.5, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.5; ELTGOL 0.9, 95% CI 0.5 to 2.1; TPEP 0.4, 95% CI 0.1 to 1.2), being similar for all ACTs (P=0.6). No changes in lung function were observed.
Conclusions:
Slow expiratory ACTs enhance mucus clearance during treatment sessions, and reduce expectoration for the rest of the day in patients with bronchiectasis.
Clinical Trial Registration Number:
NCT01854788.
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