Abstract
Since mist tent therapy for treatment of cystic fibrosis is acclaimed effective because of improved survival associated with its use, judged ineffective because of lack of improvement in short term studies of pulmonary function, we elected to estimate the change in vital capacity with years of mist tent treatment.
Patients in this survey have been seen at one to three month intervals. Peak respiratory flow rate, one second forced expiratory volume, and vital capacity were obtained at each examination. All patients received mist tent therapy with either sterile 0.25% saline from a WinLiz nebulizer or sterile 5% propylene glycol from a DeVilbiss ultrasonic nebulizer. Bronchial drainage was prescribed twice a day. Antibiotic treatment was based on sputum or “gag” cultures obtained at each visit.
The vital capacity of the cystic fibrosis patients were compared to predicted values based on height and sex and the standard deviation of the difference calculated. Altogether the group showed an average follow up of 5 years with an average change in standard deviation of less than 0.1 standard deviation per year of follow up. Two-fifths showed improvement for periods of 2 to 7 years, one-fifth were unchanged for 5 to 7 years, two-fifths worsened during 2 to 7 years observation.
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Warwick, W., Warshawsky, J. & Roe, E. LONG-TERM CHANGES IN VITAL CAPACITY OF PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS RECEIVING MIST TENT THERAPY. Pediatr Res 8, 471 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00786
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00786