Excess mucus in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis can lead to constant infection and inflammation. This damages the airways and results in a progressive loss in lung function. Chest physiotherapy attempts to clear excess mucus from the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis. There are a number of different methods used on their own or in combination with each other - manual techniques, breathing techniques and mechanical devices. Oscillating devices generate pressure within or outside of the body to move the mucus.
We included 34 studies (859 people) of different physiotherapy treatments in the review. We did not find any clear evidence that oscillating devices were better than any other form of physiotherapy considered in the included trials. There was little evidence that any one device was better than the others. Physiotherapists should consider the needs of their patients and recommend the most suitable method of airway clearance for the individual. It is therefore advisable to consider in more depth the therapy techniques used (a full description of these can be found under the heading 'Types of Interventions' in the main text of the review).
For the future, more large long-term randomised controlled trials are necessary.