Bringing Greater Understanding to Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy - From IN Vitro Performance Characterization to Physiological Effects and Clinical Impact
Rationale
- Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) devices generate positive pressure pulses in the airways.
- By mobilizing and clearing mucus, OPEP therapy has the potential to induce changes in airways ventilation and subsequent drug deposition.
- There is a scarcity of published evidence though linking laboratory performance characteristics to physiological effects and clinical impact.
- A specific OPEP device is reviewed in such context in order to provide a more wholistic understanding
Conclusions
- This laboratory and clinical overview demonstrates appreciable differences in pressure pulse waveforms for differing OPEP devices and then links these for the leading laboratory-performing device into reported airway physiological changes and improved clinical outcomes.