Baseline characteristics of patients
| Parameter | AD | oPEP |
| Subjects n | 26 | 25 |
| Age years (mean±sd) | 66.7±12.3 | 65.7±13.4 |
| Sex (female n(%)/male n(%)) | 19 (73.1)/7(26.9) | 14 (56.0)/11 (44.0) |
| Lung function: FEV1 % (mean±sd) | 96.1±18.3** | 81.3±18.1** |
| Lung function: FVC % (mean±sd) | 101.7±16.5* | 89.6±20.0* |
| LCI (mean±sd) | 10.0±2.1 | 9.0±2.5 |
| Daily sputum production mL (median; IQR) | 17.5 (5.0; 41.3) | 15.0 (5.0; 20.0) |
| Sputum bacterial infection* n (%) | 9 (34.6) | 13 (54.2) |
| Sputum purulence scale (0–1/2–3) n (%) | 13 (59.1)/9 (40.9) | 15 (62.5)/9 (37.5) |
| Previous PEx/year (median, IQR) | n=26 2 (1; 4)* | n=24 1 (0; 2)* |
| Treatment at baseline n (%) | ||
| ICS | 5 (19.2) | 8 (32.0) |
| LABA | 5 (20.0) | 9 (36.0) |
| LAMA | 0 (0) | 3 (12.0) |
| Hypertonic saline | 19 (73.1) | 20 (80.0) |
| Performing exercise | 14 (53.8) | 12 (48.0) |
| CT findings | ||
| Number of infected lobes on CT (median, IQR) | n=21 2.0 (2.0, 3.5) | n=20 2.0 (2.0, 3.75) |
| Reiff index (median, IQR) | n=24 3.0 (2.0, 4.0) | n=25 3 (2, 4.5) |
| Findings on auscultation n (%) | ||
| Wheeze | 1 (3.8) | 3 (12.0) |
| Rales | 9 (34.6) | 9 (36.0) |
Sputum bacterial infection relates to any positive culture from a respiratory sample in the past 12 months. Sputum purulence was noted on a scale from 0 to 3, with 0 indicating transparent-yellow and 3 being green with traces of blood. AD: autogenic drainage; oPEP: oscillating positive expiratory pressure; sd, standard deviation; FEV1 %: forced expiratory volume in 1 s, per cent predicted; FVC: forced vital capacity, percent predicted; LCI: lung clearance index; IQR: interquartile range; PEx: pulmonary exacerbations in the previous 12 months; ICS: inhaled corticosteroids; LABA: long-acting β-agonists; LAMA: long-acting muscarinic agonists; CT: computed tomography. *: p<0.05; **: p<0.001.