Efficacy of high-frequency chest wall oscillations vs. lung flute in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with post-COVID

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.