Breathing exercises for asthma improve patient-centred measures but not pathophysiology -- drugs still needed
A prospective, parallel group, single-blind, randomized controlled trial comparing breathing training with asthma education was performed.
Subjects with asthma with impaired health status were randomized to receive 3 sessions of either physiotherapist-supervised breathing training or asthma nurse-delivered asthma education.
The main outcome was Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) score, with secondary outcomes including spirometry, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and exhaled nitric oxide.
Early on (one month), there was no difference but at 6 months there was a significant difference favoring breathing training.
Breathing training resulted in improvements in health status and other patient-centered measures but not in asthma pathophysiology. Exercises will not reduce the need for anti-inflammatory medication (inhaled corticosteroids).
References:
Breathing exercises for asthma: a randomised controlled trial. M Thomas et al. Thorax 2009;64:55-61.
Buteyko method, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A large Buteyko asthma study will be conducted in New Zealand in 2012 http://goo.gl/jSXYo
Breathing exercises "may" help relieve asthma, though the efficacy varies. NTYimes, 2012 http://buff.ly/V352Gj
Subjects with asthma with impaired health status were randomized to receive 3 sessions of either physiotherapist-supervised breathing training or asthma nurse-delivered asthma education.
The main outcome was Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) score, with secondary outcomes including spirometry, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and exhaled nitric oxide.
Early on (one month), there was no difference but at 6 months there was a significant difference favoring breathing training.
Breathing training resulted in improvements in health status and other patient-centered measures but not in asthma pathophysiology. Exercises will not reduce the need for anti-inflammatory medication (inhaled corticosteroids).
References:
Breathing exercises for asthma: a randomised controlled trial. M Thomas et al. Thorax 2009;64:55-61.
Buteyko method, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A large Buteyko asthma study will be conducted in New Zealand in 2012 http://goo.gl/jSXYo
Breathing exercises "may" help relieve asthma, though the efficacy varies. NTYimes, 2012 http://buff.ly/V352Gj