Safety, feasibility and efficacy of exercise as an airway clearance technique in cystic fibrosis: a randomised pilot feasibility trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To test the feasibility and safety of exercise as an airway clearance technique (ExACT) for people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) versus usual care (UC).

Methods

Dual-site, two-arm randomised pilot trial. Fifty pwCF (≥10 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) ≥40% predicted), stable on Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor, were recruited, of whom 48 were randomly assigned (1:1 with minimisation) to daily ExACT (stopping all other airway clearance techniques) or UC. Feasibility was measured by recruitment, retention and adherence against preset progression criteria. Key measures of safety and signals of efficacy included spirometry (FEV₁), lung clearance index (LCI_2.5), pulmonary exacerbations, physical activity, treatment burden an

SUBMITTER: Urquhart DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12911658 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature