Ishikawa Y, Bach JR, Komaroff E, Miura T, Jackson-Parekh R.
The purpose of this study was to compare the relative importance of deep lung insufflation with the abdominal thrust and their combination in augmenting cough peak flows (CPF), in 61 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
They found that air stacking was significantly more effective than abdominal thrust in increasing CPF, but the combination was the most effective. The greatest improvements in CPF were for patients with the weakest coughs.
American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2008; 87: 726-30.