The clinical usefulness of bland,
mucolytic, and antimicrobial
aerosols in the management of obstructive airway disease or bronchopulmonary
infections was critically reviewed at th last Conference on th Scientific Basis of
Respiratory Therapy in 1974. From the information available at that time, it was cocluded that there was little scientific basis for these therapeutic modalities. It was also suggested that the value of
aerosol therapy should be evaluated by objective tests. The relatively few studies reported during the last 5 years have not generated new data in support of such
aerosol therapy. Three criteria have been used to assess the efficacy of bland and
mucolytic aerosols: respiratory function, mucociliary function, and subjective symptoms. Although respiratory and mucociliary function have generally been found to remain unaltered or to deteriorate after administration of bland or
mucolytic aerosols, some investigators have observed facilitated expectoration or improved
cough efficiency. The effectiveness of antimicrobial
aerosols is more difficult to evaluate, and their value in patients with bacterial or fungal pulmonary
infections remains to be demonstrated. Considering the cost and potential hazards of
aerosol therapy, its use should be restricted to forms of
aerosols whos clinical value has been objectively demonstrated; a reassessment of the literature suggests that bland and currently used
mucolytic and antimicrobial
aerosols do not meet this requirement.