Safety, tolerability and efficacy of LEGA-Kid® mechanical percussion device versus conventional chest physiotherapy in children: a randomised, single-blind controlled study

Chest physiotherapy (CPT) may benefit children aged below five years who suffer from lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). However, its effects depend on the technique used. This study aimed to determine whether mechanical CPT using the LEGA-Kid® mechanical percussion device is superior to manua...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Singapore medical journal Vol. 63; no. 2; pp. 105 - 110
Main Authors:	Hue, Yuen Ling, Lum, Lucy Chai See, Ahmad, Siti Hawa, Tan, Soon Sin, Wong, Shin Yee, Nathan, Anna Marie, Eg, Kah Peng, Choon, Melissa de Bruyne Ming May
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Singapore Singapore Medical Association 01-02-2022
Subjects:	Child Humans Original Percussion - methods Physical Therapy Modalities Respiratory Distress Syndrome Respiratory Therapy - adverse effects Respiratory Therapy - methods Respiratory Tract Infections Single-Blind Method lower respiratory tract infections manual chest physiotherapy nebulised hypertonic saline mechanical percussor children
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Summary:	Chest physiotherapy (CPT) may benefit children aged below five years who suffer from lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). However, its effects depend on the technique used. This study aimed to determine whether mechanical CPT using the LEGA-Kid® mechanical percussion device is superior to manual CPT in children with LRTI. Children aged five months to five years who were admitted and referred for CPT from January to April 2017 were randomised to either manual CPT or mechanical CPT with LEGA-Kid. Outcomes measured before intervention and two hours after intervention were respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation and modified Respiratory Distress Assessment Instrument (mRDAI) score. All 30 enrolled patients showed significant reduction in post-intervention RR and mRDAI scores. There was an 8% reduction in RR for the manual CPT group (p = 0.002) and a 16.5% reduction in the mechanical CPT group (p = 0.0001), with a significantly greater reduction in the latter (p = 0.024). mRDAI scores decreased by 2.96 in the manual group (p = 0.0001) and 3.62 in the mechanical group (p = 0.002), with no significant difference between the groups. There was no significant improvement in oxygen saturation, and no adverse events were observed after CPT. Children receiving both manual and mechanical CPT showed improvements in respiratory distress symptoms, with no adverse effects. A combined strategy of nebulised hypertonic saline followed by CPT for LRTI removes airway secretions and results in improvements in moderately severe respiratory distress. The LEGA-Kid mechanical CPT method is superior to manual CPT in reducing the RR.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 ObjectType-News-3 content type line 23
ISSN:	0037-5675 2737-5935
DOI:	10.11622/smedj.2020084