Breathing exercises don't cut inhaler use

Breathing exercises aimed at reducing the severity of asthma symptoms do not cut out the need for inhalers, but do significantly improve quality of life, the results of a new study indicate.

A team of Scottish researchers followed the progress of 200 adults who were being treated for mild to moderately severe asthma. Almost half were randomly assigned to receive three sessions of breathing exercise training provided by a physiotherapist, while the remainder were given information and advice about their condition by a nurse.

The participants filled in questionnaires at the beginning of the study and one month later. This questionnaire was developed to assess the impact that asthma was having on their lives and how well they could control it.

They also completed a separate questionnaire to find out if they were anxious or depressed.

Six months later, they were asked to complete the same questionnaires and undergo the same tests.

The study found that both groups experienced improvements in their quality of life after one month. However after six months, the gap widened significantly in favour of those who had undertaken the breathing exercises.

In fact, those in the exercise group were significantly less anxious and depressed and tended to control their asthma better than those who were just using the information and advice they had been given.

However the breathing exercises did not significantly lessen patients’ need for inhalers.

The researchers from the University of Aberdeen warned that while breathing exercises may be helpful for people with mild to moderate asthma that is not well controlled, patients must not substitute these for medication.

Details of these findings are published in the medical journal, Thorax.

For more information on asthma, see...http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/asthma/index.html

[Posted: Wed 03/12/2008]