Validation and clinical use of computer assisted lung sound analyses (CALSA) in cystic fibrosis patients and patients with neuromuscular diseases using functional respiratory imaging.

Many respiratory diseases require a physiotherapeutic treatment whit a focus on clearance of excessive mucus from the airways. Although patients report a subjective benefit, there is little objective evidence regarding the effect of airway clearance techniques. This contradiction exists due to a lack of good outcome measures that are specifically related to the interventions employed. Electronic auscultation coupled with computerized lung sound analysis (CALSA) has the potential to improve the clinical evaluation of pulmonary disorders in both clinical and research settings. In other words, CALSA could be a valid instrument for the evaluation of physiotherapeutic treatments. In this project, we want to validate CALSA and recorded lung sounds in patients with cystic fibrosis and neuromuscular diseases by comparing it with CT-based functional respiratory imaging. In the second part, we want to evaluate the effect of airway clearance techniques by using changes in CALSA and comparing it with classic outcome measures.

Keywords:REHABILITATION, LUNG SOUNDS, RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, OUTCOME EVALUATION

Disciplines:Orthopaedics, Paediatrics and neonatology, Respiratory medicine, Human movement and sports sciences, Nursing, Rehabilitation sciences