Timing of Hypertonic Saline Inhalation Relative to Airways Clearance in Cystic Fibrosis

Lung disease is the predominant cause of morbidity and mortality in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) with 80% of deaths resulting directly or indirectly from pulmonary disease. Abnormal airway clearance causes retention of mucus resulting in frequent chest infections. Physiotherapists use different techniques to help clear mucus from the lungs of patients with CF. Inhaled medications and airways clearance techniques (ACTs) are central to a CF patient's daily treatment and are often coordinated.

Burden of treatment is a common reason for non-adherence in this patient group, and streamlining of treatment timings is sought to optimize adherence whilst ensuring efficacy to an often complex daily regimen of inhaled bronchodilators, nebulizers and ACTs. A gap in the research exists as to the optimal timing of Hypertonic Saline (HTS) and ACT within the daily regimen. A study to show whether the timing of HTS around ACT is significant, can better inform patients and potentially allow more flexibility around their treatment regimen.

Lung Clearance Index (LCI) has shown good sensitivity to abnormalities in lung function compared with spirometry and has demonstrated a treatment effect in other trials. LCI may be a suitable tool therefore, to assess intervention strategies aimed at airways clearance in CF. This study aims to compare the effects ACTs after HTS inhalation versus ACTs during HTS inhalation as measured by LCI.

It is a randomized, crossover trial of ACTs after HTS inhalation compared with ACTs during HTS inhalation in adult CF patients during day 10-14 of a hospital admission for treatment of a pulmonary exacerbation. Patients will be randomized to receive 1 of the treatment session options on the first day and the reverse on the second day.

The primary objective of this study is to compare the change in LCI (a measure of lung function) at 90 minutes post treatment with ACTs after HTS inhalation compared with ACTs during HTS inhalation in adult CF patients.

LCI (lung clearance index) ACT (airway clearance technique) HTS (hypertonic saline)

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Cystic Fibrosis
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Airways clearance and Hypertonic saline inhalation

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 14
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Belfast, United Kingdom, BT9 7JL
    • Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast City Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female patients with a documented diagnosis of CF aged ≥18 years.
2. Written informed consent.
3. At least day 10 - 14 of IV antibiotic therapy during a hospital admission for a pulmonary exacerbation.
4. Patients must be able to perform acceptable spirometric manoeuvres, according to the American Thoracic Society/ERS (ATS/ERS) standards (Miller, Hankinson et. al. 2005).
5. Patient with an FEV1% predicted of ≥ 40%predicted (Stanojevic, Wade et al. 2008).
6. Patients who are productive of sputum from screening visit to study visit 1 (≥10g over 24 hours).
7. Patients who have been prescribed HTS (Nebusal 7%) and have successfully completed a challenge test.
8. Any other chronic medication must have commenced therapy 4 weeks prior to screening and be willing to continue this therapy for the entire duration of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Day 1-9 of IV antibiotic therapy during a hospital admission.
2. Patients who are colonized with Burkholderia cepacia complex.
3. Patient who are HTS naive.
4. Patients who have an intolerance to HTS.
5. Patients who are currently participating in another study or have participated in another study with an investigational drug within one month of screening.

6. Clinically significant disease or medical condition other than CF or CF-related conditions that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would compromise the safety of the patient or the quality of the data.

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Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: ACTs after HTS inhalation: ACTs after HTS inhalation: Patients will take a bronchodilator (Salbutamol, 2 puffs) wait 15 minutes, and then take a single inhalation (4 mls) of 7% HTS (Nebusal™) via updraft nebulizer (Portex) (approximately 20 minutes) immediately followed by an airways clearance session of 10 supervised cycles of Active Cycle of Breathing Technique (ACBT) using the acapella® (approximately 20 minutes).	Procedure: Airways clearance and Hypertonic saline inhalation
Active Comparator: ACTs during HTS inhalation; ACTs during HTS inhalation: Patients take a bronchodilator (Salbutamol, 2 puffs), wait 15 minutes, and then take a single inhalation (4mls) of 7% HTS (Nebusal™) through the acapella® duet (with portex updraft nebulizer attached) device. During inhalation, an airways clearance session of 10 supervised cycles of ACBT using the acapella® will be carried out (approximately 20 minutes).	Procedure: Airways clearance and Hypertonic saline inhalation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Lung Clearance Index	90 minutes post treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
24 hour sputum volume	24 hours post treatment

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
spirometry (FEV1% predicted; FEF25-75% [Forced expiratory flow 25-75] predicted)	90 minutes post treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
• Collaborators: Queen's University, Belfast; University of Ulster
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Judy M Bradley, PhD, University of Ulster

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Morrison L, Milroy S. Oscillating devices for airway clearance in people with cystic fibrosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Apr 30;4(4):CD006842. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006842.pub5.
• O'Neill K, Moran F, Tunney MM, Elborn JS, Bradbury I, Downey DG, Rendall J, Bradley JM. Timing of hypertonic saline and airway clearance techniques in adults with cystic fibrosis during pulmonary exacerbation: pilot data from a randomised crossover study. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2017 Jan 12;4(1):e000168. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2016-000168. eCollection 2017.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 13, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 17, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): December 20, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): July 19, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 18, 2016
• Last Verified: July 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Genetic Diseases, Inborn; Pancreatic Diseases; Fibrosis; Cystic Fibrosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: 12025JB-AS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO