Long-term comparative trial of conventional postural drainage and percussion versus positive expiratory pressure physiotherapy in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
Study design (if review, criteria of inclusion for studies)
Randomised controlled trial. Parallel design.
Participants
40 participants, of which 36 completed. Ages: 6-17 years. CCPT: Mean (range) 9.8 years (6-14 years); PEP: 10.4 years (6-17 years).
Interventions
CCPT versus PEP.
Outcome measures
FVC, FEV1 and FEF25-75, radiographic score (not reported).
Main results
Group B (PEP) demonstrated improved pulmonary function in all parameters as measured by change in percent predicted value for age, gender, and height. The changes in pulmonary function over the study period were: FVC, +6.57; FEV1, +5.98; and FEF25-75, +3.32. This improvement was significantly different from that of group A (PD&P) whose pulmonary function declined in all parameters (FVC, -2.17; FEV1, -2.28; FEF25-75, -0.24). The differences between treatment groups were statistically significant for the changes in FVC (p = 0.02) and FEV(1) (p = 0.04).
Authors' conclusions
Our results indicate that for our patients with cystic fibrosis, pulmonary physiotherapy with the PEP technique was superior to conventional physiotherapy with the PD&P technique.