A Six Month Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Lung Flute in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Nicolaas J Smit PhD

Status: Completed

Conditions: COPD

Treatments: Device: Lung Flute

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Industry

Identifiers

NCT01186822

LF6mo

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a 26 week randomized controlled study. The study consists of, in order, an enrollment visit, followed by clinic visits at 2 weeks, 14 weeks and at 26 weeks. There will also be telephonic assessments at 8 weeks and 20 weeks. Clinic visits will involve comprehensive assessments of the patients lung condition, including post-bronchodilator spirometry, Shuttle walk distance, BODE index, health status (SGRQ) and symptoms (CCQ). Sputum and serum samples will also be collected at these visits for microbiological and inflammation analysis. Sputum will be obtained with the Lung Flute as an induction device and Pulse Oximetry will be assessed prior to and after use of the Lung Flute. Clinic and telephonic visits will collect information regarding compliance with the use of the Lung Flute, adverse events and exacerbation history.

Enrollment: 69 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 30 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. 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.

2. 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).

3. Subjects must have a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years.

4. 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.

Exclusion criteria

1. History of an exacerbation or other significant disease instability during the month preceding enrollment.
2. A primary diagnosis of asthma or bronchiectasis.
3. Inability to vibrate the reed of the Lung Flute® consistently because of severely expiratory flow rate.
4. 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.
5. Pregnant or nursing females or females intending to become pregnant during the course of the study.
6. Use of any investigational drug within one month or 6 half-lives (which-ever is greater) of the enrollment visit.
7. 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.
8. Patients currently using the Lung Flute. -

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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69 participants in 2 patient groups

Lung Flute for BHT

Experimental group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Device: Lung Flute

No intervenstion

No Intervention group

Description:

No intervention. Same population.