Physical therapies for postural abnormalities in people with cystic fibrosis

Standards for the care of people with cystic fibrosis (CF); Planning for a longer life

This is the final of four papers updating standards for the care of people with CF. That this paper "Planning a longer life" was considered necessary, highlights how much CF care has progressed over the past decade. Several factors underpin this progress, notably increased numbers of people with CF with access to CFTR modulator therapy. As the landscape for CF changes, so do the hopes and aspirations of people with CF and their families. This paper reflects the need to consider people with CF not as a "problem" to be solved, but as a success, a potential and a voice to be heard. People with CF and the wider CF community have driven this approach, reflecting many of the topics in this paper. This exercise involved wide stakeholder engagement. People with CF are keen to contribute to research priorities and be involved in all stages of research. People with CF want healthcare professionals to respect them as individuals and consider the impact of our actions on the world around us. Navigating life presents challenges to all, but for people with CF these challenges are heightened and complex. In this paper we highlight the concerns and life moments that impact people with CF, and events that the CF team should aim to support, including the challenges around having a family. People with CF and their care teams must embrace the updated standards outlined in these four papers to enjoy the full potential for a healthier life.

Physical therapies for postural abnormalities in people with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-threatening, inherited disease in white populations which causes several dysfunctions, including postural abnormalities. Physical therapy may help in some consequences of these postural abnormalities, such as pain, trunk deformity and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effects of a range of physical therapies for managing postural abnormalities in people with cystic fibrosis, specifically on quality of life, pain and trunk deformity.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis Trials Register, compiled from electronic database searches, hand-searched journals and conference abstract books. We also searched the reference lists of relevant articles and reviews. Additional searches were conducted on ClinicalTrials.gov and on the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for any planned, ongoing and unpublished studies. Date of the last search: 19 March 2020.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials examining any modality of physical therapy considered relevant for treating postural disorders compared with each other, no physical therapy, sham treatment or usual care in people with CF (of any age or disease severity).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently selected eligible trials, assessed the risk of bias in each trial and extracted the data. We contacted trial authors to obtain missing or additional information. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE criteria.

MAIN RESULTS

Two trials, involving a total of 50 participants with CF and postural abnormalities, were included in this review. One was in people with stable disease (lasting three months) and one in hospital inpatients experiencing an exacerbation (20 days). Both trials compared manual therapy comprising mobilizations to the rib cage and thoracic spine, treatment of specific muscle dysfunction or tight muscle groups; and postural awareness and education versus medical usual care. The age of participants ranged from 17 years to 58 years. Both trials were conducted in the UK. The following outcomes were measured: change in quality of life, change in pain, change in trunk deformity and change in pulmonary function. Manual therapy may make little or no difference to the change in trunk deformity compared to usual care (low-quality evidence). No results could be analysed for quality of life (very low-quality evidence) and pain outcomes (very low-quality evidence) because of the high heterogeneity between trials. It is uncertain whether the intervention improves lung function: forced vital capacity (very low-quality evidence); forced expiratory volume in one second (very low-quality evidence); or Tiffeneau's index (ratio of forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC)). Only one trial (15 participants) measured functional capacity, and the change in walked distance seemed to favour intervention over usual care, but with the possibility of no effect due to wide confidence intervals. The same trial also reported that six participants in the intervention group had positive comments about the intervention and no adverse events were mentioned.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Due to methodological limitations in the included trials, and in addition to the very low to low quality of the current evidence, there is limited evidence about the benefits of physical therapies on postural abnormalities in people with CF. Therefore, further well-conducted trials with robust methodologies are required considering a prior inclusion criterion to identify the participants who have postural abnormalities.