Methods Used to Evaluate the Immediate Effects of Airway Clearance Techniques in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
This review reports on methods used to evaluate airway clearance techniques (ACT) in adults with CF and examined data for evidence of any effect. Sixty-eight studies described ACT in adequate detail and were included in this review. Frequently reported outcomes were sputum expectoration (72%) and sp...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | article |
| Language: | EN |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doaj.org/article/537a2c8e1e744b4d926b18532ea3f1cd |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | This review reports on methods used to evaluate airway clearance techniques (ACT) in adults with CF and examined data for evidence of any effect. Sixty-eight studies described ACT in adequate detail and were included in this review. Frequently reported outcomes were sputum expectoration (72%) and spirometric lung function (60%). Compared with cough alone, following any ACT, there was a trend for greater sputum wet weight, however FEV<sub>1</sub> was not different. The mean (95% CI) within-group effect for sputum wet weight following any ACT was 12.43 g (9.28 to 15.58) (<i>n</i> = 30 studies) and for FEV<sub>1</sub> was 0.03 L (−0.17 to 0.24) (<i>n</i> = 14 studies). Meta-regression demonstrated that, when compared with cough alone, greater sputum wet weight was reported in groups that received additional ACT by between 2.45 and 3.94 g (F<sub>3,66</sub> = 2.97, <i>p</i> = 0.04). These data suggest the addition of ACT to cough alone may optimise sputum clearance; however, FEV<sub>1</sub> lacked sensitivity to detect this change. Importantly, this review highlights the lack of appropriate measures to assess ACT efficacy. |
|---|