Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy - An International Journal

Background: The efficacy of a new airway clearance device (High-Frequency Oscillation jacket) has not been previously investigated. Active cycle of breathing techniques (ACBT) is the standard airway clearance technique used in patients with bronchiectasis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of ACBT with High-Frequency Oscillation as methods of airway clearance in adults with stable, productive bronchiectasis

Method: All thirty patients (17 males), age 46 ± 10 years (mean ± SD) completed the study. The signi?cant differences were found between baseline measures of lung function- FVC (3.10 ± 0.391) & after the treatment (3.19 ± 0.400), FEV1 (2.94 ± 0.489) & after the treatment (3.00 ± 0.484), FEV1/FVC (94.5 ± 3.21) & after the treatment (96.1 ±3.10) in ACBT group. But in High-Frequency Oscillation jacket the signi?cant differences were found between baseline measures of lung function- FVC (3.15 ± 0.276) & after the treatment (2.92 ± 0.462), FEV1 (2.95 ± 0.455) But there is no significant difference was found between SPO2 or breathlessness score between study days indicating that patients were stable.

Results: Signi?cant differences were found between weight of sputum expectorated with ACBT treatment and weight of sputum expectorated with High-Frequency Oscillation jacket treatment mean difference 2.16 g (95% CI -2.94 to 5.46). The extremely signi?cant differences were found between baseline measures of lung function (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC) between the group.

Conclusion: ACBT is as effective a method of airway clearance as High-Frequency Oscillation jacket. It was found to be the preferred method of airway clearance and provides a technique that can be administered independently.