Breathing exercises for asthma

Holloway EA, Ram FSF

Published Online:

October 7, 2009

The term 'breathing exercise or re-training' has numerous interpretations depending on the nature of the therapy, therapist and cultural background. The objective of this review was to assess the evidence for the effectiveness of breathing retraining for patients with asthma. Due to the small number of studies meeting the criteria for inclusion into this review, the small number of patients in the studies and the use of diverse interventions in the included studies, no reliable conclusions can be drawn as to the beneficial effects of breathing retraining in asthma. However with the introduction of two further studies trends for improvement in an increased number of outcomes were found. There is therefore a need for large scale trials involving breathing retraining in order to observe its effectiveness in the treatment and management of asthma.

Abstract (click to read)

Background:

There is much anecdotal evidence in Eastern and Western literature describing considerable benefits for patients with asthma when treated with breathing interventions. The term 'breathing exercise, training and retraining' has numerous interpretations depending on the nature of the therapy, therapist and cultural background.

Objectives:

To assess the evidence for the efficacy of breathing retraining in the treatment of patients with asthma.

Search strategy:

Trials were searched for in the Cochrane Airways Group trials register, Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field trials register, EMBASE: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Field, and Databases of the physiotherapy library of current research, World Congress of Physical Therapy Proceedings (1995) and AMED (Allied & Complementary Medicine Database 1985-2003/4). Hand searching of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care Journals was undertaken.

Chartered physiotherapists in the field of respiratory medicine were contacted and appeals made in the 'Physiotherapy' Journal and the Physiotherapy Respiratory Care magazine. Searches were undertaken of bibliographies from the included studies and other appropriate papers. Authors of included studies were contacted for information concerning other relevant trials.

Selection criteria:

Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials of breathing retraining in patients of all ages with a diagnosis of asthma. Breathing retraining should be a major component of the treatment intervention.

Data collection and analysis:

Two reviewers (EH & FR) independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Authors of included trials were contacted for additional data. Where possible adverse effects were noted.

Main results:

Abstracts were identified and 42 full text papers were obtained for assessment and possible inclusion. Thirty five studies were excluded. A total of five studies were included in the original review. Two further studies have been added to this update. Most studies were of small size. Two studies demonstrated significant reductions in rescue bronchodilator use and three studies showed reductions in acute exacerbations, although these were measured in different ways. Two single studies showed significant improvements in quality of life measures. Overall, benefits of breathing exercises were found in isolated outcome measures in single studies. Five studies compared breathing retraining with no active control and two with asthma education control groups.

Authors' conclusions:

Comparisons and conclusions were difficult to evaluate as treatment interventions and outcome measurements from the seven trials varied considerably. At present therefore no reliable conclusions can be drawn concerning the use of breathing exercises for asthma in clinical practice. However trends for improvement, notably in quality of life measurements, are encouraging and further studies including full descriptions of treatment methods and outcome measurements are required.

This record should be cited as:

Holloway EA, Ram FSF. Breathing exercises for asthma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001277. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001277.pub2

Assessed as up to date:

September 16, 2003

Asthma topics:

Physical and complementary therapies > Breathing & exercise

Health topics:

Lungs & airways > Asthma (chronic) > Breathing & exercise

Cochrane Summaries

Independent high-quality evidence for health care decision making

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