Effects of Aerobic Training Versus Breathing Exercises on Asthma Control: A Randomized Trial

Karen B Evaristo; Felipe Augusto Rodrigues Mendes; Milene G Saccomani; Alberto Cukier; Regina M Carvalho-Pinto; Marcos R Rodrigues; Danilo F Santaella; Beatriz M Saraiva-Romanholo; Milton A Martins; Celso R F Carvalho

doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.06.042

Effects of Aerobic Training Versus Breathing Exercises on Asthma Control: A Randomized Trial

J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2020 Oct;8(9):2989-2996.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.06.042. Epub 2020 Aug 6.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Department of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Ibirapuera, São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Department of Pulmonary Division (InCor), School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Sports, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Physical Therapy, University City of Sao Paulo (UNICID), São Paulo, Brazil.
⁶ Department of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: cscarval@usp.br.

PMID: 32773365
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.06.042

Abstract

Background: Aerobic training and breathing exercises are interventions that improve asthma control. However, the outcomes of these 2 interventions have not been compared.

Objective: To compare the effects of aerobic training versus breathing exercises on clinical control (primary outcome), quality of life, exercise capacity, and airway inflammation in outpatients with moderate-to-severe asthma.

Methods: Fifty-four asthmatics were randomized into either the aerobic training group (AG, n = 29) or the breathing exercise group (BG, n = 25). Both interventions lasted for 24 sessions (2/week, 40 minutes/session). Asthma clinical control (Asthma Control Questionnaire [ACQ]), quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire), asthma symptom-free days (ASFD), airway inflammation, exercise capacity, psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), daily-life physical activity (DLPA), and pulmonary function were evaluated before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention.

Results: Both interventions presented similar results regarding the ACQ score, psychological distress, ASFD, DLPA, and airway inflammation (P > .05). However, participants in the AG were 2.6 times more likely to experience clinical improvement at the 3-month follow-up than participants in the BG (P = .02). A greater proportion of participants in the AG also presented a reduction in the number of days without rescue medication use compared with BG (34% vs 8%; P = .04).

Conclusions: Outpatients with moderate-to-severe asthma who participated in aerobic training or breathing exercise programs presented similar results in asthma control, quality of life, asthma symptoms, psychological distress, physical activity, and airway inflammation. However, a greater proportion of participants in the AG presented improvement in asthma control and reduced use of rescue medication.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02065258.

Keywords: Airway inflammation; Asthma guidelines; Clinical control; Persistent asthma; Pulmonary rehabilitation; Quality of life; Symptoms.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Asthma* / therapy
Breathing Exercises
Exercise
Exercise Therapy
Humans
Quality of Life*

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02065258