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RecruitingNCT06838442NTM-RehabUpdated Sep 28, 2026

Rehabilitation Exercise and Education of Airway Clearance Technique in NTM-PD: A Prospective Cohort Study

An observational study in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease, sponsored by Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Recruiting at 2 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 20 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-28.

Sponsored by Seoul National University Bundang Hospital · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
500
Ages
20 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

  • The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation and airway clearance education in adults with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). The main questions it aims to answer are:

    • Does pulmonary rehabilitation and airway clearance training improve lung function, symptom relief, and quality of life in patients with NTM-PD?
    • Does this non-pharmacological intervention contribute to better sputum culture conversion rates?
  • Participants will:

    • Undergo pulmonary rehabilitation and airway clearance training over an 8-week period (biweekly sessions).
    • Receive evaluations at baseline, during the intervention, and follow-up assessments at 2 months, 6 months, and final study visit.
    • Undergo tests including pulmonary function tests (PFT), symptom assessments, bacteriologic evaluations, radiographic imaging (CT/X-ray), and quality of life surveys (EQ-5D-5L, CAT score).
  • This study aims to provide clinical evidence supporting the role of non-pharmacological treatments in the management of NTM-PD, potentially informing future treatment guidelines and improving patient outcomes.
02

Conditions studied

  • Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

This study will enroll adult patients (≥20 years old) diagnosed with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) based on the 2020 ATS guidelines. Participants will be recruited from outpatient pulmonary clinics at study sites. Eligible participants will undergo pulmonary rehabilitation and airway clearance training as part of a prospective observational study. The study focuses on assessing the effects of non-pharmacological interventions on lung function, symptom relief, and quality of life in patients with NTM-PD.

The cohort will include patients with clinically significant NTM species such as Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium massiliense, and Mycobacterium kansasii. Participants will undergo baseline assessment, structured rehabilitation sessions, and follow-up evaluations at 2 months and 6 months. The study aims to provide real-world clinical evidence sup

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 20 years or older at the time of enrollment.
  • Diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) according to the 2020 American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines.
  • Identification of clinically significant NTM species, including:

Mycobacterium avium / Mycobacterium intracellulare / Mycobacterium abscessus / Mycobacterium massiliense / Mycobacterium kansasii /

  • Able to undergo pulmonary rehabilitation and airway clearance training as part of the study protocol.
  • Willing to provide written informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently pregnant or actively breastfeeding.
  • Unable to participate in pulmonary rehabilitation due to severe mobility impairment or neuromuscular disorders.
  • History of massive hemoptysis or other medical conditions where airway clearance techniques may be contraindicated.
04

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
500 participants (estimated)
Target follow-up
6 Months
Patient registry
Yes

Groups and cohorts

  • NTM-PD Pulmonary Rehabilitation Cohort

    This cohort consists of adults diagnosed with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) who will undergo pulmonary rehabilitation and airway clearance training as part of a prospective observational study. Participants will receive an 8-week biweekly pulmonary rehabilitation program, including oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) therapy, high-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO), huffing and coughing techniques, breathing exercises, and aerobic/strength training. They will be monitored at baseline, during treatment, and at 2-month and 6-month follow-ups, undergoing pulmonary function tests (PFT), bacteriologic assessments, radiographic imaging (CT/X-ray), symptom evaluations, and quality of life assessments (EQ-5D-5L, CAT score). This study aims to assess the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in improving respiratory function, reducing symptoms, and enhancing quality of life in NTM-PD patients.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Pulmonary Function (FEV1 and FVC) from Baseline to 6 Months

    Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) will be measured using pulmonary function tests (PFTs) at baseline, after 2 months, and at 6 months to assess improvements in lung function following pulmonary rehabilitation and airway clearance training.

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

  2. Sputum Culture Conversion Rate

    The percentage of participants achieving sputum culture conversion, defined as three consecutive negative mycobacterial cultures from respiratory samples collected at least one month apart, will be assessed.

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

  3. 6MWT

    6 minute walk test distance in meters

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis (QOL-B) from Baseline to 6 Months

    Quality of life improvements will be assessed using Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis (QOL-B). The questionnaire comprised a total of 37 items, covering domains such as physical functioning (5 items), role functioning (5 items), vitality (3 items), emotional functioning (4 items), social functioning (4 items), health perception (4 items), respiratory symptoms (9 items), and treatment burden (3 items). Each domain score ranged from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better quality of life.

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

  2. Change in EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) from Baseline to 6 Months

    EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) includes quality of life assessments including mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Scores can range from 11111 to 55555, with lower scores referring tobetter quality of life.

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

  3. Severity of radiographic findings

    High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and chest X-rays will be used to evaluate changes in lung structure, including bronchiectasis severity and cavitary lesions. Presence and size of cavities will be measured in chest CT, and artificial intelligenced-based scoring systems will be used to measure radiographic severity in chest X-rays.

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

Other outcomes

  1. Change in Physical Function (Grip Strength, 4-Meter Walk Test, Sit-to-Stand Test) from Baseline to 6 Months

    Physical function will be assessed using hand-grip strength measurements, a 4-meter walk test, and a sit-to-stand test to evaluate improvements in muscle strength and mobility.

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

  2. Adverse Events Related to Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Airway Clearance Techniques

    The incidence of adverse events such as fatigue, muscle pain, hemoptysis, and respiratory distress related to pulmonary rehabilitation interventions will be monitored and documented.

    Time frame: Throughout study period (up to 6 months)

  3. Change in body composition: bioimpeance analysis

    Change in body composition will be assesed using the bioimpedance analysis. It provides resistance and reactance measured at different frequency currents, providing estimations of the body fat mass (kg), protein mass (kg), and skeletal muscle mass (kg). Volume of body water (L) and percentage of body fat (%) will be calculated as well.

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 6 months

06

Study locations

2 of 2 sites recruiting
  • Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
    Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13620, South Korea
    • Hyung-Jun Kim, MD · Contact · dr.hjkim@snu.ac.kr · +82-31-787-7844
    • Hyung-Jun Kim, MD · Principal investigator
    • Jaewon Beom, MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Taipei Veterans General Hospital
    Taipei, Beitou Dist 112201, Taiwan
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Kim HJ, Beom J, Choe B, Ji M, Jo H, Lee KJ, Hwang A, Hwang H, Kwon BS, Park JS, Lee JH. Rehabilitation and airway clearance technique education in nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease: protocol for the NTM-Rehab study. Tuberc Respir Dis (Seoul). 2026 Sep 10. doi: 10.4046/trd.2026.0164. Online ahead of print. PubMed 42717669 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided — At this time, there is no plan to publicly share individual participant data (IPD) due to patient confidentiality and ethical considerations. However, de-identified, aggregated data may be made available upon reasonable request for collaborative research purposes, subject to appropriate ethical approvals and institutional review board (IRB) regulations. If data sharing becomes feasible, it will follow applicable regulations and data protection guidelines.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06838442
Lead sponsor
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
Responsible party
Hyung-Jun Kim (Professor, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 20, 2025
Start date
Apr 21, 2025
Primary completion
Nov 25, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Nov 25, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 28, 2026

Study contacts

Hyung-Jun Kim, MD
Contact
dr.hjkim@snu.ac.kr
+82-31-787-7844

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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