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Abstract

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Tuberculosis (TB) are major causes of chronic respiratory conditions with COPD affecting 55.1% of men and 54.8% of women globally.
Objective: The study aims to assess the effectiveness of Airway Clearance Techniques (ACT) on clinical parameters and satisfaction among clients with COPD and TB.
Research methodology: A Quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group interrupted time series was used on fifty clients (25experimental, 25conventional group) from MMIMSR & Hospital, Mullana, Haryana using purposive sampling technique. The data was collected using biophysiological methods, Dyspnea scale with inter reliability k=0.8 (Cohen’s kappa), and a satisfaction questionnaire with reliability=0.9 (Cronbach’s alpha) before and after receiving (ACT) twice daily for three consecutive days, while the conventional group received routine care. The interventions provided to the experimental group include: percussion for 9-10 minutes, vibration for 9-10 minutes, coughing for 4-5 minutes and huffing for 4-5 minutes. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.
Results: The results revealed statistical significant difference between experimental and conventional groups in terms of clinical parameters: oxygen therapy (Z=2.29, p=0.02), oxygen saturation (Z=4.22,p=0.001), respiratory rate (Z=2.19,p=0.02), dyspnea (Z=3.74, p=0.001), and adventitious breath sounds (crepts:Z=2.29,p=0.02; rhonchi:Z=2.80,p=0.001). There was a significant associations of respiratory rate with age (p=0.04) and routine physiotherapy (p=0.001), adventitious breath sounds (crepts) with consistency of secretions (p=0.04, rhonchi with duration of hospital stay (p=0.02), and wheezing was associated with the presence of co-morbid illness (p=0.05) in the experimental group.
Conclusions: ACT effectively stabilizes clinical parameters in clients with respiratory disorders, demonstrating its beneficial impact on respiratory function.