None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
We believe that the use of N-acetylcysteine (a known mucolytic) will be useful in improving the diagnostic yield of sputum culture. If this hypothesis is proven, this agent can be recommend for this purpose.
Interventions
Single dose of 5 ml (200mg/ml) of nebulized N-acetylcysteine (intervention).
Sponsors
Austin Health
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Diagnosis
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Differential diagnosis inclusive of lower respiratory tract infection as determined by the treating physician (eg. cough, fever, pleuritic chest pain, dyspnoea, decreased breath sounds, bronchial breath sounds, crackles on auscultation) ·A sputum sample is to be collected in the ED.
Exclusion criteria
Inability to co-operate or consent due to debility, significant illness, language barriers, altered consciousness (as determined by the ED or study staff)·Refusal to participate·Pregnancy or breast-feeding·Known allergy to NAC·Presence of significant hepatic or renal failure·Presence of other significant co-morbidities eg. HIV, immunocompromised, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis·CXR suggestive of TB·Recent hospital admission within the previous 14 days inclusively·Current treatment with >10mg prenisolone daily for more than 1 month inclusively
Outcome results
None listed