expecToratIon of sPutum Techniques real wOrld data in coPd (TIPTOP)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Pilot Feasibility Randomised Control Trial (RCT) of Aerobika TM verses Active Cycle of Airways Clearance (ACBT) in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
IRAS ID
289817
Contact name
Keir Lewis
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Hywel Dda Health Board
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common preventable and treatable respiratory condition. Its main symptoms include, breathlessness, cough and frequent chest infections. Many people with COPD struggle with excessive production of sputum, resulting in more hospital admissions and worse symptoms affecting quality of life. Guidelines suggest techniques to help clear sputum but there is not strong evidence behind these. In particular we don't know how effective cough clearance techniques are and indeed if any are better than others. This study will recruit people admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of COPD who have excessive sputum and randomise them to receive a hand-held airways clearance device or chest physiotherapy exercises. We will compare symptoms, quality of life, treatment burden and hospital admissions over the following year.Summary of Results
A pilot randomised control trial study comparing two airways clearance techniques, ACBT versus OPEP (Aerobika). Recruiting patients that were experiencing an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) within 3 days from hospital wards or emergency clinics. 19 received OPEP 23 received ACBT, the study struggled to recruit to target and retain data. Although both groups improved significantly and clinically importantly from baseline (during exacerbation), we found no difference in the primary outcome of Leicester cough questionnaire at three months between groups.REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
21/WA/0144
Date of REC Opinion
21 May 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion