Study design (if review, criteria of inclusion for studies)
RCT crossover
Participants
8 adults with cystic fibrosis
Interventions
On four mornings the patients followed a 30-min physiotherapy session consisting in a randomized order of either FET in a sitting position following a night of horizontal sleep ("FET"), or FET in a postural drainage position following sleep including postural drainage ("FET/PD").
Outcome measures
lung function, sputum production.
Main results
The lung function parameters studied did not change during either of the two treatments. Sputum yield over 22.5 h before the physiotherapy sessions and over 24 h increased with PD during sleep in patients with more than 30 g of sputum per 24 h (p less than 0.05). PD during the treatment sessions did not further increase sputum production.
Authors' conclusions
This study indicates that sleeping head-down improves expectoration in patients with copious sputum. PD during FET is not needed after sleeping in the head-down position.
Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Airway clearance technique; Drainage; non pharmacological intervention - devices OR physiotherapy; Percussion; Postural Drainage; forced expiration technique; Chest physiotherapy; Active Cycle of Breathing Technique -ACBT-;