Airway clearance techniques by video consultation for patients with bronchiectasis: satisfaction, adherence, effectiveness, and safety. A pilot study

Airway clearance techniques (ACT) should be included as part of the non-pharmacological treatment of patients with bronchiectasis (BE) following international guidelines. This approach in chronic respiratory patients should be maintained despite a pandemic situation, including SARS-CoV-2. The objective of this study is to evaluate the satisfaction, adherence, effectiveness, and safety of telehealth ACT (tACT) via video consultation for secretion drainage in patients with stable BE. This is an observational pilot study with prospective recruitment describing a cohort of patients with BE and patients with BE and infection due to non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) included in a tACT program. Patients received an initial tACT visit (V1), another after one week (V7), and a final visit after one month (V30). Adherence, effectiveness and safety data were recorded. Satisfaction with the intervention was determined using a visual analogue scale (0-10). A total of 40 patients with BE and 17 patients with BE and NTM-PD were included, with a mean age of 63 (13). A total of 48 patients evaluated the telehealth intervention at >8 with the VAS, with a mean VAS score at V7 of 9.0 (1.9) and 8.9 (2) at V30. Self-reported adherence to treatment was high, with an average of 6.5/7 and 25/30 days; 94% of the patients managed to expectorate during V1 (effectiveness of the intervention). No relevant side effects were detected. tACT for managing secretions in patients with BE, whether with or without NTM-PD, has proven to be satisfactory, effective, and safe during a critical pandemic situation. This safety strategy could be included in the future as a complementary tool in the management of chronic respiratory patients.