title: Chest physical therapy is effective in reducing the clinical score in bronchiolitis: randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of chest physical therapy (CP) in reducing the clinical score in infants with acute viral bronchiolitis (AVB).
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial of 30 previously healthy infants (mean age 4.08 SD 3.0 months) with AVB and positive for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), evaluated at three moments: at admission, then at 48 and 72 hours after admission. The procedures were conducted by blinded assessors to each of three groups: G1 - new Chest Physical therapy- nCPT (Prolonged slow expiration - PSE and Clearance rhinopharyngeal retrograde - CRR), G2 - conventional Chest Physical therapy- cCPT (modified postural drainage, expiratory compression, vibration and percussion) and G3 - aspiration of the upper airways. The outcomes of interest were the Wang's clinical score (CS) and its components: Retractions (RE), Respiratory Rate (RR), Wheezing (WH) and General Conditions (GC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CS on admission was reduced in G1 (7.0-4.0) and G2 (7.5-5.5) but was unchanged in G3 (7.5-7.0). We observed a change 48 hours after hospitalization in G1 (5.5-3.0) and G2 (4.0-2.0) and in 72 hours, there was a change in G1 (2.0-1.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CP was effective in reducing the CS in infants with AVB compared with upper airway suction only. After 48 hours of admission, both techniques were effective and nCPT techniques were also effective in the 72 hours after hospitalization compared with cCPT techniques.
authors.affiliation: Healthy Department, Physical Therapy, Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. evelimgomes@uninove.br
authors.forename: Evelim L F D
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Postiaux
authors.forename: Denise R L
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Kadma K D S
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Luciana M M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Dirceu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012138:Respiratory Therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method