Alaa M. Mohamed, Nagwa M. Badr, Aisha A. Hagag, Yasser M. Mohamed

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of intra versus extra-thoracic ‎oscillations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. ‎Subjects and methods: Sixty male patients with COPD with an age range between 50-60 years ‎were randomly divided into two groups, equal in number. Patients in Group (A) were treated by ‎Oscillatory Positive Expiratory Pressure Quake device and patients in Group (B) were treated ‎by High-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) vest. The treatment protocol was 30-45 ‎minutes 4 sessions/week for 6 weeks for both groups in addition to COPD medications. All ‎patients were evaluated before and after treatment by spirometry and impulse oscillometry. ‎Results: Pre and Post-study comparison demonstrated that there was a significant improvement ‎in the spirometric indices (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25%-75%) and impulse ‎oscillometry parameters (R5, X5) in both groups. A statistically significant difference was also ‎found between the Quake device and vest HFCWO in most of the measured post-treatment ‎parameters in favor of Quake device.‎ Conclusion: Both intra (Quake) and extra (vest HFCWO) thoracic oscillations have high ‎effectiveness in the treatment of COPD patients by improving the impulse oscillometry ‎parameters and ventilatory function with better results in favor of intrathoracic oscillations ‎‎(Quake device)‎‎.