Comparison Effects of Postural Drainage and Positive Expiratory Pressure Technique in Community Acquired Pneumonia

Abstract

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major health concern worldwide, leading to substantial hospitalization and morbidity. Physiotherapy interventions like postural drainage and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) are commonly used in managing CAP, but their relative effectiveness in improving respiratory parameters is not fully understood. Objective: The study aimed to compare the effects of postural drainage and PEP techniques on respiratory parameters, specifically pH values and alveolar-arterial oxygen tension, in patients with CAP. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 46 patients with mild to moderate CAP were divided into two groups: postural drainage (n=23) and PEP technique (n=23). Data collection occurred pre- and post-intervention in each session, with analysis conducted using SPSS version 23. The Shapiro-Wilk test determined data normality, leading to the use of the Mann-Whitney U test for non-parametric data. Results: Improvements in oxygen saturation were observed in both groups. However, other arterial blood gas parameters, including pH and alveolar-arterial oxygen tension, showed no significant changes post-intervention. Specifically, pH values for the postural drainage group had mean ranks of 21.13, 22.04, 24.74, and 20.70 across sessions, while the PEP technique group showed mean ranks of 25.87, 24.96, 22.26, and 26.30, with p-values ranging from 0.152 to 0.525. Similarly, alveolar-arterial oxygen tension comparisons yielded p-values between 0.056 and 0.231. Conclusion: Both postural drainage and PEP techniques effectively improved oxygen saturation in CAP patients, but they did not significantly impact other respiratory parameters. This suggests their utility in specific areas of respiratory management in CAP, with limitations in broader pulmonary function improvement.