Abstract
Keeping airways clear of mucus by airway clearance techniques seems essential in bronchiectasis treatment, although no placebo-controlled trials or any studies lasting longer than 3 months have been conducted. We evaluate the efficacy of the ELTGOL (slow expiration with the glottis opened in the lateral posture) technique over a 1-year period in bronchiectasis patients with chronic expectoration in a randomised placebo-controlled trial.
Patients were randomised to perform the ELTGOL technique (n=22) or placebo exercises (n=22) twice-daily (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01578681). The primary outcome was sputum volume during the first intervention and 24 h later. Secondary outcomes included sputum volume during the intervention and 24 h later at month 12, exacerbations, quality of life, sputum analyses, pulmonary function, exercise capacity, systemic inflammation, treatment adherence, and side effects.
Sputum volume during intervention and 24 h later was higher in the ELTGOL group than in the placebo group both at the beginning and end of the study. Patients in the ELTGOL group had fewer exacerbations (p=0.042) and a clinically significant improvement in the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire score (p<0.001) and the Leicester Cough Questionnaire score compared with the placebo group (p<0.001).
Twice-daily ELTGOL technique over 1 year in bronchiectasis patients facilitated secretion removal and was associated with fewer exacerbations, improved quality of life, and reduced cough impact.
Abstract
The ELTGOL technique increases expectoration, reduces exacerbations and improves quality of life in bronchiectasis http://ow.ly/Q97C30gWVW4
Footnotes
This article has been revised according to the erratum published in the April 2018 issue of the European Respiratory Journal.
Support statement: This study was funded by SEPAR 2010, SOCAP 2011, Catalan College of Physiotherapists 2012, ACMG 2015, FIS PI12/01551 and ERS 2016 Award for “Best abstract in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis”. Funding information for this article has been deposited with the Crossref Funder Registry.
This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with identifier NCT01578681.
Conflict of interest: None declared.
- Received March 3, 2017.
- Accepted October 5, 2017.
- Copyright ©ERS 2018