Non-invasive ventilation used as an adjunct to airway clearance treatments improves lung function during an acute exacerbation of cystic fibrosis: a randomised trial.

Question: During an acute exacerbation of cystic fibrosis, is non-invasive ventilation beneficial as an adjunct to the airway clearance regimen?

Design: Randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation and intention-to-treat analysis.

Participants: Forty adults with moderate to severe cystic fibrosis lung disease and who were admitted to hospital for an acute exacerbation.

Intervention: Comprehensive inpatient care (control group) compared to the same care with the addition of non-invasive ventilation during airway clearance treatments from Day 2 of admission until discharge (experimental group).

Is a longer time interval between recombinant human deoxyribonuclease (dornase alfa) and chest physiotherapy better? A multi-center, randomized crossover trial.

Background: Although the benefits of recombinant human deoxyribonuclease (dornase alfa) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are established, its optimal timing in relation to physiotherapy is unknown. As its enzymatic effect lasts for 6-11 hr, dornase alfa may be more efficacious if the time interval between inhalation and chest physiotherapy is increased. The aim of this study was to investigate if a longer time interval between dornase alfa nebulization and chest physiotherapy improves clinical outcomes of subjects with CF.