Clinical Trial: Effects of Respiratory Physiotherapy on Pleural Effusion

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Effectiveness of a Program of Respiratory Physiotherapy on Pleural Effusion: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Brief Summary: Pleural effusion and the complexity of diagnosis and treatment make planning and delivering care challenging. Respiratory physiotherapy is recommended, and should be applied during the first weeks of treatment.The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a respiratory physiotherapy protocol in patients with Pleural Effusion who attended a University Hospital.

Detailed Summary: Approximately 1.5 million patients are diagnosed with pleural effusion each year in the United States . Pleural effusion (PE) is an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space that is classified as transudate or exudate according to its composition and underlying pathophysiology. The goal in the management of pleural effusion is to provide symptomatic relief by removing fluid from the pleural space and to allow the treatment of the underlying disease. While some authors (REF) propose respiratory physiotherapy, in the majority of the cases only the medical treatment combined with the pleural fluid removal by thoracentesis are the most common practice. The objective of this study is verify the effectiveness of respiratory physiotherapy in pleural effusion
Sponsor: Universidad de Granada

Current Primary Outcome: Assessment of the severity of respiratory disease [ Time Frame: baseline, 12 months ]

A spirometry is used to assess severity of individual patients respiratory disease and their response to therapy and is regarded as the gold standard measure of respiratory function. The following variables were recorded; forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume achieved in 1 second, and the forced expiratory flow over the middle one half of the forced vital capacity.


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Length of the hospital stay [ Time Frame: baseline, 12 months ]
    Length of stay was defined as the number of days between admission and discharge.
  • Severity in the pleural effusion repercussion [ Time Frame: baseline, 12 months. ]
    The chest radiograph has been the initial diagnostic tool for the detection and evaluation of pleural effusion. The severity was codified from 0(normal) to 10 (very severe) by a radiologist with more than 8 years of experience.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Universidad de Granada

Dates:
Date Received: December 20, 2012
Date Started: February 2009
Date Completion:
Last Updated: December 20, 2012
Last Verified: December 2012