Clinical Research Directory

Impact of Continuous Isotonic Saline Nebulisation Combined With Heated Humidification on the Rheology of Bronchial Secretions.

Sponsor: Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université Catholique de Louvain

Summary

This study aims to evaluate whether adding a continuous mist of saltwater (saline nebulization) to warmed, humidified air can improve the properties of mucus in the lungs compared to humidified air alone. Some patients with chronic lung diseases produce large amounts of thick mucus, which can be difficult to clear and may worsen breathing. Making this mucus easier to move and remove could help improve comfort and breathing. In this study, 35 adult patients hospitalized for lung conditions with excessive mucus production will participate. Each patient will receive both treatments on two different days, in a random order: Heated humidified air alone Heated humidified air combined with continuous saline nebulization This design allows each patient to serve as their own comparison. At the beginning and end of each session, a physiotherapist will help patients clear their airways, and mucus samples will be collected. Each treatment session will last 4 hours. The collected mucus will be analyzed in a laboratory to measure how thick, sticky, or elastic it is, and how much force is needed to move it. The main goal is to determine whether the combined treatment makes mucus easier to clear. The study will also assess patient comfort, breathing difficulty, ease of clearing mucus, and sleep quality after treatment. The results of this study may help improve airway care for patients with chronic lung diseases by identifying more effective ways to manage excessive mucus.

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