Comparison of the flutter device to standard chest physiotherapy in hospitalized @entity1 with XXXX : a pilot study.

@entity1 @entity1191 @entity519 @entity1577
STUDY OBJECTIVE: A preliminary study comparing the efficacy and safety of the flutter device (Flutter) to standard, manual chest physiotherapy ( @entity1191 ) in hospitalized @entity1577 ( @entity1577 ) @entity1 undergoing an acute pulmonary exacerbation. DESIGN: Open label, comparative trial with alternate assignment. SETTING: Community and childrens' hospital acute-care wards. @entity1 : Twenty-two @entity1577 @entity1 (ages 8 to 44 years) undergoing a total of 33 hospitalizations for acute pulmonary exacerbation. INTERVENTIONS: Complete pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were done at baseline (admission), weekly, and upon discharge from the hospital. Clinical score (CS) was determined at the time of hospital admission and at discharge. @entity1 were assigned to receive supervised Flutter therapy or standard, manual @entity1191 four times per day during the hospitalization. @entity1 were monitored for complications, including hemoptysis, @entity519 , and pneumothorax. RESULTS: The groups ( @entity1191 and Flutter) did not differ at baseline in demographics or Shwachman score, nor was length of hospitalization different. Significant improvements were noted from admission to discharge in CS and PFT results within each group. Mean percent change in CS and PFT results between @entity1191 and Flutter groups showed no significant difference from hospital admission to discharge. Subsequent power analysis using the observed difference in percent change from admission to discharge for FEV1 indicated that to attain 80% power at alpha = 0.05, a sample of 219 subjects in each group would be necessary. SUMMARY: Comparative trials of airway clearance techniques with sufficient sample size are lacking. Although the Flutter appears to be a useful device for independent, cost-effective, and safe administration of @entity1191 in this pilot study, a much larger clinical trial would be necessary to make definitive conclusions.
