Effects of Costophrenic Assisted Cough and Anterior Chest Compression on COPD Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly impairs respiratory function due to airflow limitation, leading to symptoms like dyspnea, cough, and mucus production. Assisted coughing techniques, such as costophrenic assisted cough and anterior chest compression, are critical in managing secretion clearance, thus potentially reducing exacerbations and improving quality of life in COPD patients.

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of costophrenic assisted cough and anterior chest compression techniques on clinical outcomes such as sputum production, oxygen saturation, expiratory flow rate, and perceived dyspnea in patients with COPD.

Methods: In a randomized clinical trial, 36 patients diagnosed with COPD were allocated into two groups. Group A (18 patients) received costophrenic assisted cough, and Group B (18 patients) received anterior chest compression. Interventions were administered on alternate days for one week. Outcome measures included sputum diary, oxygen saturation (SaO2), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), and the Borg dyspnea scale, assessed at baseline, after the intervention week, and at a follow-up four weeks later. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 25.0, with significance set at p<0.05.

Results: The study comprised 72.2% males with an average age of 53.38 ± 6.07 years. Post-intervention, Group B showed a more significant improvement in SaO2, with mean values rising from 90.94 ± 1.109 to 95.50 ± 1.689, compared to Group A, which improved from 91.50 ± 1.46 to 94.83 ± 1.61. PEFR increased from 284.50 ± 48.04 L/min to 389.50 ± 26.69 L/min in Group B, outperforming Group A's increase from 286.66 ± 49.391 L/min to 340.00 ± 32.03 L/min. Borg dyspnea scores decreased more in Group B, from 7.44 ± 1.65 to 2.55 ± 1.096, versus Group A’s decrease from 7.27 ± 1.526 to 4.00 ± 0.84. All results were statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusion: While both costophrenic assisted cough and anterior chest compression effectively improved pulmonary outcomes in COPD patients, anterior chest compression was more effective across all measured parameters. This technique could be considered a preferable method for enhancing airway clearance in COPD management.