Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)OPEP-AD-COPDNCT07402850
Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy Versus Autogenic Drainage in Patients With COPD
A study testing Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy and Autogenic Drainage in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Airway Clearance, run by Adnan Hashim at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-term lung condition that causes breathing difficulty, cough, and sputum production. Airway clearance techniques are commonly used to help reduce symptoms and improve breathing in patients with COPD. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 35 to 50 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Airway Clearance
- What is being tested?
- Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy and Autogenic Drainage
- Type of treatment
- Medical device, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 58 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 5 May 2025to 12 Sep 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 35 to 50 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age between 35 and 50 years
- Both genders
- Participants must have a confirmed diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) based on the GOLD 2023 guidelines
- Clinically stable
- History of Sputum Culture
Who cannot join
- Acute exacerbation of COPD
- Severe cardiovascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal disorders
- Recent thoracic or abdominal surgery
- Presence of other significant respiratory diseases
- Unwillingness to participate or inability to comply with the study protocol
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy Versus Autogenic Drainage in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Effects on Pulmonary Function, Sputum Clearance, Dyspnea, and Quality of Life
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-term lung condition that causes breathing difficulty, cough, and sputum production. Airway clearance techniques are commonly used to help reduce symptoms and improve breathing in patients with COPD.
This study compared two airway clearance methods-oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) therapy and autogenic drainage-to determine which method is more effective in improving lung function, sputum clearance, shortness of breath, and quality of life in patients with COPD.
Participants were divided into two groups and received either OPEP therapy or autogenic drainage for four weeks. Outcomes were measured at the beginning of the study and again after completion of the intervention. The findings of this study aim to support evidence-based physiotherapy management for patients with COPD.
Read the detailed description
This study was a comparative interventional clinical trial conducted to evaluate the effects of oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy versus autogenic drainage in patients diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional ethics review committee prior to study initiation, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants.
Eligible participants with stable COPD were enrolled and allocated into two intervention groups. Baseline assessments were performed prior to the initiation of treatment. Participants in the first group received oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy as part of their airway clearance regimen, while participants in the second group were treated using autogenic drainage techniques. Both interventions were administered over a four-week period.
Outcome measures were assessed at two time points: baseline (pre-intervention) and after completion of the four-week intervention period. Pulmonary function was evaluated using spirometry. Sputum clearance was assessed using the Breathlessness Cough Sputum Scale (BCSS). Dyspnea was measured using the Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale, and quality of life was assessed using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT).
The results of this study aim to compare the effectiveness of the two airway clearance techniques and provide evidence to guide clinical decision-making in the physiotherapy management of patients with COPD.
- Being tested
- Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy, Autogenic Drainage
- Keywords
- COPD, Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure, Autogenic Drainage, Physiotherapy, Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Airway Clearance Techniques
- Medical subject headings
- Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure TherapyDevice
Oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy was administered using a handheld device to facilitate airway clearance by providing expiratory resistance and oscillations during exhalation. The intervention was applied for four weeks.
Autogenic DrainageBehavioural
Autogenic drainage is a breathing technique involving controlled breathing at different lung volumes to mobilize and clear bronchial secretions. Participants performed autogenic drainage sessions for four weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy Group | Experimental | Participants in this group received oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy as an airway clearance technique for four weeks. Receives: Device: Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy |
| Autogenic Drainage Group | Active comparator | Participants in this group received autogenic drainage as an airway clearance technique for four weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Autogenic Drainage |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV₁ % Predicted)
Pulmonary function was assessed using spirometry by measuring forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), expressed as percentage of the predicted value, in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Measured: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes (3)
Change in Sputum Clearance as Measured by the Breathlessness, Cough, and Sputum Scale (BCSS)
Sputum clearance was assessed using the Breathlessness, Cough, and Sputum Scale (BCSS). The BCSS is a patient-reported outcome measure consisting of three items (breathlessness, cough, and sputum), each scored from 0 to 4, resulting in a total score range of 0 to 12. Higher scores indicate worse symptoms.
Measured: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Change in Dyspnea Severity as Measured by the Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale
Dyspnea severity was assessed using the Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale, a numerical rating scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 represents no breathlessness and 10 represents maximal breathlessness. Higher scores indicate greater perceived dyspnea.
Measured: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Change in Health-Related Quality of Life as Measured by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT)
Health-related quality of life was assessed using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), an 8-item questionnaire with total scores ranging from 0 to 40. Higher scores indicate worse health status and greater impact of COPD on daily life.
Measured: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Feb 2026
- Study start5 May 2025
- Primary completion8 Aug 2025
- Study completion12 Sep 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (8)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants were allocated into two parallel groups to receive either oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy or autogenic drainage for a four-week intervention period.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 58 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Adnan Hashim
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Adnan Hashim, University of Lahore
- Investigators
- Adnan Hashim, DPT, Principal investigator, Department of Physical Therapy, The University of Lahore
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07402850
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PHRI/IREB/26/01/0079
- Acronym
- OPEP-AD-COPD
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 11 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared because this study was conducted as an academic research project. The informed consent obtained from participants did not include provisions for public data sharing, and the dataset contains sensitive personal health information. Data will be stored securely and used only for academic and research purposes in accordance with institutional ethics approval.
Publications
Bridges, C., Graham-Wollard, L., Morris, H., Annandale, J., & Lewis, K. (2023). S56 A feasibility randomised control trial (RCT) of OPEP verses active cycle of breathing technique (ACBT) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
Boers E, Barrett M, Su JG, Benjafield AV, Sinha S, Kaye L, Zar HJ, Vuong V, Tellez D, Gondalia R, Rice MB, Nunez CM, Wedzicha JA, Malhotra A. Global Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Through 2050. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Dec 1;6(12):e2346598. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46598.
PubMed 38060225Bishop, K. L., & Malone, D. J. (2024). Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders. In Acute Care Physical Therapy (pp. 245-310). Routledge.
Belli S, Prince I, Savio G, Paracchini E, Cattaneo D, Bianchi M, Masocco F, Bellanti MT, Balbi B. Airway Clearance Techniques: The Right Choice for the Right Patient. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Feb 4;8:544826. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.544826. eCollection 2021.
PubMed 33634144Awokola BI, Amusa GA, Jewell CP, Okello G, Stobrink M, Finney LJ, Mohammed N, Erhart A, Mortimer KJ. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2022 Mar 1;26(3):232-242. doi: 10.5588/ijtld.21.0394.
PubMed 35197163Alruwaili, A. T. S., Alsirhani, A. F., khlaif Alrwili, A., Aldaghmi, M. T. A., Alharbi, S. E. M., & Aldhafeeri, R. Z. (2024). NURSING, PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND RESPIRATORY CARE IN ENHANCING PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION FOR PATIENTS WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASES. Gland Surgery, 9(2).
Alghamdi SM, Alsulayyim AS, Alasmari AM, Philip KEJ, Buttery SC, Banya WAS, Polkey MI, Birring SS, Hopkinson NS. Oscillatory positive expiratory pressure therapy in COPD (O-COPD): a randomised controlled trial. Thorax. 2023 Feb;78(2):136-143. doi: 10.1136/thorax-2022-219077. Epub 2022 Aug 10.
PubMed 35948418Adeloye D, Song P, Zhu Y, Campbell H, Sheikh A, Rudan I; NIHR RESPIRE Global Respiratory Health Unit. Global, regional, and national prevalence of, and risk factors for, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2019: a systematic review and modelling analysis. Lancet Respir Med. 2022 May;10(5):447-458. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00511-7. Epub 2022 Mar 10.
PubMed 35279265
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy Versus Autogenic Drainage in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Effects on Pulmonary Function, Sputum Clearance, Dyspnea, and Quality of Life
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07402850
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- OPEP-AD-COPD / PHRI/IREB/26/01/0079
- Keywords
- COPD, Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure, Autogenic Drainage, Physiotherapy, Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Airway Clearance Techniques
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 58 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Adnan HashimUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 8 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 12 Sep 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-term lung condition that causes breathing difficulty, cough, and sputum production. Airway clearance techniques are commonly used to help reduce symptoms and improve breathing in patients with COPD.
This study compared two airway clearance methods-oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) therapy and autogenic drainage-to determine which method is more effective in improving lung function, sputum clearance, shortness of breath, and quality of life in patients with COPD.
Participants were divided into two groups and received either OPEP therapy or autogenic drainage for four weeks. Outcomes were measured at the beginning of the study and again after completion of the intervention. The findings of this study aim to support evidence-based physiotherapy management for patients with COPD.
Detailed description
This study was a comparative interventional clinical trial conducted to evaluate the effects of oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy versus autogenic drainage in patients diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional ethics review committee prior to study initiation, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants.
Eligible participants with stable COPD were enrolled and allocated into two intervention groups. Baseline assessments were performed prior to the initiation of treatment. Participants in the first group received oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy as part of their airway clearance regimen, while participants in the second group were treated using autogenic drainage techniques. Both interventions were administered over a four-week period.
Outcome measures were assessed at two time points: baseline (pre-intervention) and after completion of the four-week intervention period. Pulmonary function was evaluated using spirometry. Sputum clearance was assessed using the Breathlessness Cough Sputum Scale (BCSS). Dyspnea was measured using the Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale, and quality of life was assessed using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT).
The results of this study aim to compare the effectiveness of the two airway clearance techniques and provide evidence to guide clinical decision-making in the physiotherapy management of patients with COPD.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants were allocated into two parallel groups to receive either oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy or autogenic drainage for a four-week intervention period.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy Group | Experimental | Device: Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure TherapyParticipants in this group received oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy as an airway clearance technique for four weeks. |
| Autogenic Drainage Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Autogenic DrainageParticipants in this group received autogenic drainage as an airway clearance technique for four weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 35 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age between 35 and 50 years
- Both genders
- Participants must have a confirmed diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) based on the GOLD 2023 guidelines
- Clinically stable
- History of Sputum Culture
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Acute exacerbation of COPD
- Severe cardiovascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal disorders
- Recent thoracic or abdominal surgery
- Presence of other significant respiratory diseases
- Unwillingness to participate or inability to comply with the study protocol
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure TherapyOscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy was administered using a handheld device to facilitate airway clearance by providing expiratory resistance and oscillations during exhalation. The intervention was applied for four weeks. | Device | Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy Group |
| Autogenic DrainageAutogenic drainage is a breathing technique involving controlled breathing at different lung volumes to mobilize and clear bronchial secretions. Participants performed autogenic drainage sessions for four weeks. | Behavioural | Autogenic Drainage Group |
Primary outcome
Change in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV₁ % Predicted)
Time frame: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Pulmonary function was assessed using spirometry by measuring forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), expressed as percentage of the predicted value, in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
3 secondary outcomes
Change in Sputum Clearance as Measured by the Breathlessness, Cough, and Sputum Scale (BCSS)
Time frame: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Change in Dyspnea Severity as Measured by the Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale
Time frame: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Change in Health-Related Quality of Life as Measured by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT)
Time frame: Baseline and at 4 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Feb 2026.
- BackgroundBridges, C., Graham-Wollard, L., Morris, H., Annandale, J., & Lewis, K. (2023). S56 A feasibility randomised control trial (RCT) of OPEP verses active cycle of breathing technique (ACBT) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
- Background: PubMed 38060225Boers E, Barrett M, Su JG, Benjafield AV, Sinha S, Kaye L, Zar HJ, Vuong V, Tellez D, Gondalia R, Rice MB, Nunez CM, Wedzicha JA, Malhotra A. Global Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Through 2050. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Dec 1;6(12):e2346598. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46598.
- BackgroundBishop, K. L., & Malone, D. J. (2024). Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders. In Acute Care Physical Therapy (pp. 245-310). Routledge.
- Background: PubMed 33634144Belli S, Prince I, Savio G, Paracchini E, Cattaneo D, Bianchi M, Masocco F, Bellanti MT, Balbi B. Airway Clearance Techniques: The Right Choice for the Right Patient. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Feb 4;8:544826. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.544826. eCollection 2021.
- Background: PubMed 35197163Awokola BI, Amusa GA, Jewell CP, Okello G, Stobrink M, Finney LJ, Mohammed N, Erhart A, Mortimer KJ. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2022 Mar 1;26(3):232-242. doi: 10.5588/ijtld.21.0394.
- BackgroundAlruwaili, A. T. S., Alsirhani, A. F., khlaif Alrwili, A., Aldaghmi, M. T. A., Alharbi, S. E. M., & Aldhafeeri, R. Z. (2024). NURSING, PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND RESPIRATORY CARE IN ENHANCING PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION FOR PATIENTS WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASES. Gland Surgery, 9(2).
- Background: PubMed 35948418Alghamdi SM, Alsulayyim AS, Alasmari AM, Philip KEJ, Buttery SC, Banya WAS, Polkey MI, Birring SS, Hopkinson NS. Oscillatory positive expiratory pressure therapy in COPD (O-COPD): a randomised controlled trial. Thorax. 2023 Feb;78(2):136-143. doi: 10.1136/thorax-2022-219077. Epub 2022 Aug 10.
- Background: PubMed 35279265Adeloye D, Song P, Zhu Y, Campbell H, Sheikh A, Rudan I; NIHR RESPIRE Global Respiratory Health Unit. Global, regional, and national prevalence of, and risk factors for, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2019: a systematic review and modelling analysis. Lancet Respir Med. 2022 May;10(5):447-458. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00511-7. Epub 2022 Mar 10.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared because this study was conducted as an academic research project. The informed consent obtained from participants did not include provisions for public data sharing, and the dataset contains sensitive personal health information. Data will be stored securely and used only for academic and research purposes in accordance with institutional ethics approval.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Adnan Hashim, DPT principal investigator
Department of Physical Therapy, The University of Lahore
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Therapy and Autogenic Drainage in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Airway Clearance, run by Adnan Hashim at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV₁ % Predicted) (time frame: Baseline and at 4 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07402850, which also lists 8 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Feb 2026.