N-Acetyl Cysteine and Improved Lung Function

• Mucoactive agents in bronchiectasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

  • 2026-04
  • Meta-Analysis · n = 7,051
  • European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society 35(180)
  • • Benjamin McCullough
    • John Busby
    • Brenda O'Neill
    • Bronwen Connolly
    • Rebecca H McLeese
    • Dermot Linden
    • Daniel F McAuley
    • J Stuart Elborn
    • Anthony De Soyza
    • James D Chalmers
    • Mike Clarke
    • Judy M Bradley

  • PubMed: 42342264
  • DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0014-2026

  3 Insights on

  • Improved Lung Function

  • High evidence
  • Clinical

  Nine studies (n=767) reported percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁ % pred), showing a small mean increase of 3.23% (95% CI 0.31-6.15; p=0.03; I²=69.9%; very low certainty).

  Effect

  Beneficial

  Effect size

  Small

  Significant

  Yes

• N-acetylcysteine: evidence based consensus document on the therapeutic advantages in respiratory diseases (NECTAR).

  • 2026-05-04
  • Review
  • Frontiers in medicine 13
  • • Monica Barne
    • Madhuragauri Shevade
    • Parthasarathi Bhattacharyya
    • Devasahayam J Christopher
    • Sanjeev Nair
    • Nitin Abhyankar
    • Indranil Halder
    • Agam Vora
    • Arjun Khanna
    • Rajesh Swarnakar
    • Prashant Chhajed
    • Balamurugan Santhalingam
    • Aishwarya Nair
    • Sundeep Salvi

  • PubMed: 42158130
  • DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1810363

  9 Insights on

  • Improved Lung Function

  • Low evidence

  In CF, NAC improves lung function, mucociliary clearance, and disrupts biofilms.

  Effect

  Beneficial

  Effect size

  Moderate

  Significant

  Yes

  Dose

  low dose (not further specified)