An interventional study of Autogenic drainage and Flutter Device in COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), sponsored by Riphah International University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-20.
Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
COPD is a progressive lung disease that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Airway clearance techniques help improve mucus removal, reduce dyspnea, and enhance quality of life in COPD patients. This study aims to compare the effects of autogenic drainage and flutter device on dyspnea, pulmonary function, and functional capacity in patients with COPD. A randomized clinical trial will be conducted at Gulab Devi Teaching Hospital using convenient sampling. Participants will be divided into two groups: Group A will receive autogenic drainage, while Group B will use the flutter device. Interventions will be performed daily for 20-30 minutes over 6 weeks. Outcome measures will include dyspnea severity scale, spirometry, and 6-minute walk test. Data will be analyzed using SPSS with significance set at p \< 0.05. The study may provide evidence for effective, non-invasive, and cost-effective management strategies for COPD patients.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is progressive damage to lungs with a combination of airway diseases that are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD is the major cause of chronic mortality and morbidity throughout the world. It's third leading cause of death in the world. Non pharmacological intervention Airway clearance techniques plays crucial role in managing COPD and enhancing patients quality of life by removal of bronchial secretions. Two popular techniques autogenic drainage and flutter are based on the same principle of mobilization and removal of secretions. These non-invasive techniques aimed at enhancing mucus clearance and reducing dyspnea. The objective of the study's primary goal is to compare the effect of autogenic drainage and flutter device on the dyspnea, pulmonary function test and functional capacity in the patients with COPD. The study design will be ramdomized clinical trial. It will be conducted at Ghulab Devi \|Teaching Hospital. Sample size will be conducted through non- probability convenient sampling as per inclusion criteria. Participants will be randomly added into two groups. Group A will receive autogenic drainage intervention and the Group B will receive flutter device intervention. Both interventions will be practiced daily for 5 days 6 weeks for 20-30 minutes. Pre and post intervention data will be collected. Outcome measures include dyspnea severity scale, spirometer and 6-minute walk test. Data will be analyzed by using SPSS. Data will be tested for normality distribution. Paired or Independent t-test will be used to compare variables between the two groups and within the two groups, with significance set at p\< 0.05. This study will provide evidence for the integration of non-invasive, cost effective strategies for the enhancement of PFT's and functional capacity and dyspnea.
5,520 studies on the registry are indexed under Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; 856 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 42 is below the median of 62 across 3,839 interventional studies indexed under Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive.
Browse Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive studies →Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,193 studies on the registry; 650 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
From a breathing test (spirometry): how much air you can blow out in the first second. Often given as a percentage of what is expected for your age, height and sex.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
FEV1
From a breathing test (spirometry): how much air you can blow out in the first second. Often given as a percentage of what is expected for your age, height and sex.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The participants in this group will be instructed to sit comfortably with the neck slightly extended and clear the upper airways by huffing or blowing the nose. Autogenic drainage begins with slow diaphragmatic breathing at low lung volumes, followed by a 3-second pause and gentle high-velocity expiration with an open glottis. As secretions move upward, breathing gradually shifts to medium and high lung volumes until mucus reaches the trachea for expectoration. The cycle of breathing exercises is repeated for 15-20 minutes while suppressing unnecessary coughing.
Procedure: Autogenic drainage
The participant in this group will be instructed to sit comfortably while leaning forward with elbows supported and the neck slightly extended to open the airway. The flutter device is held horizontally with a slight upward tilt and placed in the mouth. The patient inhales slowly through the nose, holds the breath for 3-5 seconds, and exhales through the flutter device slightly faster than normal. After 4-8 breaths, a deep inhalation followed by forced expiration through the device helps mobilize secretions. Breathing control is maintained, followed by coughing or huffing if needed. The procedure is repeated for 10-15 minutes.
Device: Flutter Device
The patient begins by performing the diaphragmatic breathing at low lung volume inspiration will slow with a pause of three seconds allowing the collateral ventilation, and expiration will done as a sigh with an open glottis and with high velocity as possible but no forced expiration. During this low lung volume breathing, expiration will encourage to the expiratory reserve volume. When the patient feel secretions to be moving, the volume of inspiration became deeper and expiration did not go down as far as expiratory reserve volume. As the secretions moved up the bronchial tree to the large airways then the patient will ask to perform higher lung volume breathing, tidal volume to inspiratory reserve volume range. This middle to high lung volume breathing continued until the secretions will in the trachea and ready to be expectorated
Also known as: Controlled Breathing Drainage, Airway Clearance Breathing Technique
The flutter device will hold horizontally and tilted slightly upwards to get maximal oscillatory effect and then it was placed in the mouth. Inspiration was done through the nose. A slow breath in, only slightly deeper than normal with a breath hold of 3-5 seconds will followed by breath out through the flutter device at a slightly faster rate than normal. After 4-8 breaths, a deep breath with a hold' at full inspiration will followed by a force expiration through the flutter device. This precipitated expectoration and will followed by a pause for breathing control, and then according to the subjects' preference a cough or huff was done
Dyspnea
The modified medical research council; (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale is a simple and widely used scale
Time frame: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention
Forced Vital Capacity
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) will be measured in liters (L) using spirometry. FVC represents the maximum volume of air that can be forcefully exhaled after a maximal inspiration.
Time frame: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention
Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second
Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV₁) will be measured in liters (L) using spirometry. FEV₁ represents the volume of air exhaled during the first second of a forced expiratory maneuver.
Time frame: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention
FEV₁/FVC ratio
The FEV₁/FVC ratio will be expressed as a percentage (%) and calculated from spirometric measurements to assess the degree of airflow limitation.
Time frame: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention
Peak Expiratory Flow
Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) will be measured in liters per minute (L/min) and represents the maximum expiratory flow achieved during forced expiration.
Time frame: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention
Plan to share: No
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Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive →
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