Comparison of Autogenic Drainage & Active Cycle Breathing Techniques on FEV , FVC & PEFR in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Airway clearance is integral to the management of COPD, yet there is no evidence as to the optimal modality. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of two chest clearance techniques, autogenic drainage and active cycle breathing in COPD patients.Thirty subjects who were 40 60 years of age and had moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder were allocated randomly into three groups, each consisting of 10 subjects. Group A received autogenic drainage, group B was givenactive cycle breathing technique and group C received medications. The treatment duration was 5 days per week for 4 weeks. The outcome measure used was computerized spirometer to evaluate pre& post test values of forced expiratory volume (FEV ), forced 1 vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). There was significant improvement in FVC, FEV & 1 PEFR values in both A and B groups when compared to group C patients who received only medications with no additional breathing techniques. But there was no statistical significant difference in FVC, FEV & PEFR 1 values between the groups A and B.The results of this study revealed that both autogenic drainage and active cycle breathing technique are effective in clearance of secretions, which is one of the causes of airway obstruction in patients with COPD.