Perception and clinical practice regarding mucus clearance devices with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study of healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia
Author(s)
Alghamdi, Saeed Mardy
Alzahrani, Abdulaziz
Alshahrani, Yousef M
Al Ruwaithi, Abdulhadi A
Aldhahir, Abdulelah Mastour
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Clearing secretions from the airway can be difficult for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mucus clearance devices (MCDs) are an option in disease management to help with this, but healthcare provider awareness and knowledge about them as well as current clinical practice in Saudi Arabia are not known. DESIGN: A cross-sectional online survey consisting of four themes; demographics, awareness, recommendations and clinical practice, for MCDs with COPD patients. SETTING: Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: 1188 healthcare providers including general practitioners, family physicians, pulmonologists, nursing staff, respiratory therapists and physiotherapists. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Healthcare providers' level of awareness about MCDs, and the identification of current clinical practices of COPD care in Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: 1188 healthcare providers (44.4% female) completed the survey. Regarding devices, 54.2% were aware of the Flutter, 23.8% the Acapella and 5.4% the positive expiratory pressure mask. 40.7% of the respondents identified the Acapella, and 22.3% the Flutter as first choice for COPD management. 75% would usually or always consider their use in COPD patients reporting daily difficulty clearing mucus, whereas 55.9% would sometimes or usually consider the use of MCDs with COPD patients who produced and were able to clear mucus with cough. In clinical practice, 380 (32%) of the respondents would prescribe MCDs, 378 (31.8%) would give MCDs without prescriptions, 314 (26.4%) would not provide them at all and 116 (9.8%) would only advise patients about them. CONCLUSION: Healthcare providers are aware of the existence of MCDs and their benefits for sputum clearance and believe that MCDs are beneficial for sputum clearance in some COPD patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN44651852.
Date Issued
2023-09-14
Date Acceptance
2023-08-30
Citation
BMJ Open, 2023, 13 (9), pp.1-7
ISSN
2044-6055
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Start Page
1
End Page
7
Journal / Book Title
BMJ Open
Volume
13
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
© Author(s) (or their
employer(s)) 2023. Re-use
permitted under CC BY-NC. No
commercial re-use. See rights
and permissions. Published by
BMJ
employer(s)) 2023. Re-use
permitted under CC BY-NC. No
commercial re-use. See rights
and permissions. Published by
BMJ
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37709318
PII: bmjopen-2023-074849
Subjects
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Mucus
Perception
Physical Therapists
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Saudi Arabia
chronic airways disease
pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive
respiratory medicine (see thoracic medicine)
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
e074849
Date Publish Online
2023-09-14