Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high-frequency
chest wall oscillations (HFCWO) and lung flute
(LF) are used to improve COPD patients’ pulmonary functions, exertional dyspnea, as well as life
quality. This comparative study aimed to assess
the efficiency of HFCWO vs. LF in post-coronavirus-disease (COVID) men with COPD.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty postCOVID men with COPD, who were aged 40-60
years old, were included in this HFCWO-vs.-LF
comparative study and were divided into two
groups. One group (N=30) received HFCWO, and
the other group (N=30) received LF three times
per week. Both groups’ pulmonary functions, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at the first second (FEV1), the ratio of FEV1/FVC (FEV1/FVC), forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of the pulmonary
volume (FEF25-75%) were assessed. Also, the
COPD assessment test score (CAT score) and
6-minute walk distance (6MWD) were measured
before and following the trial.
RESULTS: Regarding all variables (postCOVID patients’ FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-
75%, CAT score, as well as 6MWD), both groups
had substantial changes after the three-week
HFCWO-vs.-LF interventional period as the
p-value was below 0.05. The changes in postCOVID patients’ FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and 6MWD
were high in the HFCWO group, while the changes in post-COVID patients’ CAT score, FVC, and
FEF25-75% were high in the LF group.
CONCLUSIONS: HFCWO is more efficient than
the LF in improving pulmonary functions and exertional dyspnea in post-COVID men with COPD.
