P121 Short-term effect of physiotherapy on Lung Clearance Index among patients with cystic fibrosis (original) (raw)

Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the Lung Clearance Index (LCI) as a sensitive parameter in efficacy trials with inhaled antibiotics in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), compared to traditional lung function measurements like forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). Methods: An open-label, single-arm study was conducted with 17 patients receiving inhaled Tobramycin over a treatment phase of 28 days. The primary endpoint was the change in LCI after 4 weeks. Results indicated that LCI showed a significant correlation with bacterial load changes, suggesting its potential utility in assessing small airway disease. Conclusions: Despite the promising sensitivity of LCI, the small sample size limits definitive conclusions regarding its role as a standalone clinical endpoint. Further research is necessary to validate these findings.