Pulmonary function and sputum production in patients with cystic fibrosis: a pilot study comparing the PercussiveTech HF device and standard chest physiotherapy.
Study design (if review, criteria of inclusion for studies)
randomized trial
Participants
16 clinically stable CF patients.
Interventions
cyproheptadine hydrochloride (CH) (2 mg QID for 1 week followed by 4 mg QID for 11 weeks) or placebo
Outcome measures
sputum weight, viscoelasticity, and transportability. Sputum was obtained by voluntary forced cough and expectoration prior to starting CH or placebo and at 4 weeks. Viscoelasticity was measured by rheometry and cough transportability by simulated cough machine. Sufficient paired sputum for rheologic analysis was obtained on 4 placebo and 7 CH subjects and for cough transportability analysis on 3 placebo and 6 CH subjects. Weight on all specimens was obtained prior to both analyses.
Main results
There were no significant differences in sputum weight wet, measures of mucus viscoelasticity (rheology), or cough transportability of mucus between baseline and 4 weeks in patients on placebo or CH
Authors' conclusions
From this limited study, CH, a first-generation antihistamine, appears to have no adverse effects in sputum viscoelasticity or cough transportability in CF patients.