Breathing Exercises in Asthma Targeting Dysfunctional Breathing

COMPLETED

NCT03127059

NA

Sponsor: Naestved Hospital

Summary

Dyspnoe can disable patients with asthma. Dysfunctional breathing (DB), resulting in dyspnoe, can mimic or exaggerate asthma. Around every forth patient with asthma have DB. Breathing exercises (BrEX) can improve asthma-related quality of live (QOL) in less severe asthma. No study has investigated the effect of BrEX on QOL neither on level of physical activity in severe asthma. A randomised controlled multicentre trial will include 190 adults with poor asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ6)-score≥0.8) from seven outpatient departments and one specialized private clinic. Patients will be allocated to either usual care (no intervention) or breathing exercises (BrEX)-treatment consisting of 12-week intervention including three physiotherapist-sessions focusing on breathing pattern modification (Papworth Method; Buteyko technique) in rest and activity and 10 minutes home-exercise twice daily. Primary outcome is change in Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniAQLQ) at six-months follow-up.

Official title: BEAT DB-study; Breathing Exercises in Asthma Targeting Dysfunctional Breathing-a Randomised Controlled Trial

Key Details

Gender

All

Age Range

18 Years - Any

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Enrollment

193

Start Date

2017-04-27

Completion Date

2026-05-30

Last Updated

2026-06-09

Healthy Volunteers

No

Conditions

Dysfunctional Breathing in Asthma

Interventions

OTHER

Breathing Exercises

Key points in the intervention are * Reduction (or normalising) of the respiration rate; use of rhythmic, nasal inspiration, diaphragmatic breathing; reduction of depth of breath, longer expiration; breath-holding at functional residual capacity. * Relaxation, especially the neck, jaw, tongue, and shoulders. Emphasizing the impact of gravity to the body. * Inclusion of the breathing modification into walking and other physical activities. * Daily home exercise of BrEX.

OTHER

Usual care

Participants will receive only short information given initially at recruitment. No instruction or booklet will be distributed in the Usual care-Group.