Effects of interventions
Because of the obvious clinical heterogeneity between different
chest physiotherapies, we presented the results as comparisons between:
1. conventional chest physiotherapy plus routine treatment
versus routine treatment alone;
2. active cycle of breathing techniques plus routine treatment
versus routine treatment alone;
3. osteopathic manipulative treatment plus routine treatment
versus placebo plus routine treatment; and
4. positive expiratory pressure plus routine treatment versus
routine treatment alone.
We only used a placebo with the osteopathic manipulative treatment
because in the two trials (Noll 1999; Noll 2000) using this
therapy, participants in the control group received standardised
light touch treatment as placebo, in addition to the routine treatment.
In the remaining trials, participants in the control group
received routine treatment alone.