The effect of airway clearance technology by Simeox device on quality of life of patients COPD and secondary bronchoectasis.

<bold>Background:</bold> COPD patients with bronchiectasis (BE) has reduced quality of life (QoL), increase morbidity and mortality due purulent sputum expectoration and frequent acute exacerbation. Airway Clearance Techniques (ACT) may improve QoL and reduce morbidity and mortality. SGRQ is a commonly used instrument for measuring pulmonary health-related QoL. <bold>Objective:</bold> to evaluate the effects of ACT using Simeox in outpatient COPD patients with BE on QoL using St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). <bold>Methods:</bold> The QoL was studied in 8 patients with COPD + BE with stable course of disease using SGRQ before ACT using SIMEOX (once daily during 10 days) and after ACT. Each sessions lasted near 20 minutes. Patients stayed on their maintenance therapy (bronchololytics and mucolytics). <bold>Results:</bold> Before using SIMEOX as an ACT mean SGRQ value was 57,33±6,12. Besides, in domains the results were the next: Symptoms – 77,92±9,19, Activitity – 60,05±6,97, Impacts – 51,27±5,61. A 4-point change in the SGRQ score is considered the minimum clinically important difference (MCID). So, after 10 day of ACT with the Siomeox device we received the next results: total score of SGRQ was 49,13±5,75, and in the domains scores were: Symptoms – 72,15±8,82, Activitity – 49,37±6,02, Impacts – 43,01±5,17. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> In our study, we noted that after 10 days of ACT with Simeox, SGRQ scores improved significantly, reaching a MCID in both the total score and each of the domains: Symptoms, Activitity, Impacts.