Airway resistance changes after intrapulmonary percussion ventilation in COPD patients

<bold>Background:</bold> Due to emphysema and small airway inflammation, which is typically seen in COPD patients, airflow resistance is significantly increased in this population. This in combination with reduced lung elastic recoil ensures that expiratory flow limitation is present which along with a reduced expiration time leads to lung hyperinflation (O’Donnell & Laveneziana, 2006). <bold>The aim of this study</bold> is to investigate the effect of 1-month intrapulmonary percussive ventilation (IPV) MODEL IPV-2C (Sentec) treatment on airway resistance (Raw) in COPD patients. <bold>Methods:</bold> 9 COPD patients were treated with a 30-minute IPV session for 3 times a week during a 4 week-intervention period. Raw was measured before and after every IPV session using the resistance occlusions method (Vyaire). <bold>Results:</bold> 9 COPD (5M/4F) patients of 70(7) years with FEV1 37(14)% predicted were enrolled. After 5 sessions, there is a decrease in Raw from 0,99 (0,51) kPa/L/s to 0,77 (0,34) kPa/L/s (p=.09) measured before the IPV treatment (figure 1). Resistance directly after therapy was elevated due to mucus that was mobilized and moving in the respiratory system. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Raw is decreased in 7 out of 9 patients after being treated with IPV for 5 sessions. Due to the small population no significance is seen, but there is a clear trend that IPV has a positive impact on Raw in COPD patients. <fig><object-id>erj;64/suppl_68/PA1431/F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig>