A Six Month Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Lung Flute in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
COPD
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for COPD
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male or female subjects between and including the ages of 30 and 80 years. Females of childbearing potential may be included provided they are not pregnant or are not nursing.
Subjects with a diagnosis of moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as defined by the Global Initiative for COPD (GOLD, 2008 update) and who meet the following criteria for stage ll - IV disease:
a) Subjects must have a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FEV ratio <70% and FEV1 of <80% of the predicted value for age, height, and sex using the NHANES III standards (Hankinson, 1999).
- Subjects must have a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years.
Subjects must have stable disease for at least 1 month prior to enrollment with no changes in the maintenance treatment for COPD in this period.
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Exclusion Criteria:
- History of an exacerbation or other significant disease instability during the month preceding enrollment.
- A primary diagnosis of asthma or bronchiectasis.
- Inability to vibrate the reed of the Lung Flute® consistently because of severely expiratory flow rate.
- Subject with any evidence of significant concomitant clinical disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with the conduct of the study or safety of the subject.
- Pregnant or nursing females or females intending to become pregnant during the course of the study.
- Use of any investigational drug within one month or 6 half-lives (which-ever is greater) of the enrollment visit.
- Inability to comprehend or willingness to follow the study requirements including attendance at out-patient clinic visit and participation in testing as called for by the protocol.
- Patients currently using the Lung Flute. -
Sites / Locations
- VA WNY Healthcare System
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
No Intervention
Lung Flute for BHT
No intervenstion
The Lung Flute arm participants were instructed to blow twice in to the Lung Flute device vigorously enough to make the reed oscillate, followed by 5 normal breaths. This was repeated 10 times, followed by 3 huff coughs to complete 1 cycle. Two such cycles were recommended twice a day. One of these cycles was performed under supervision of the study personnel at the time of enrollment and at each subsequent study visit. Baseline COPD medication regimen was continued in all participants, although the primary physicians of the participants could make medically necessary changes. Chest physical therapy, additional breathing exercises and formal pulmonary rehabilitation programs were not prescribed to any of the participants during the study.
No intervention. Same population.