Effect of Supervised Breathing Exercise on Patients with Bronchial Asthma

Background: Bronchial asthma is the most common form of lung disease, accounting for about 20% of general physician visits. Anti-asthmatic drugs like salbutamol, steroid inhalers, and aminophylline have been used for decades in clinical practice to relieve and control local inflammation and breathlessness in asthma.

Aim of the study: In the present study, combined therapy of anti-asthmatic drugs and breathing exercises for bronchial asthma is given to determine the patient’s functional improvement and clinical outcome.

Methods: It was a Prospective Interventional randomized clinical study conducted in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Shahbagh, Dhaka, from February 2012 to July 2012. Fifty-four patients between 19 to 70 years without consideration of gender with a history of persistent asthma symptoms having more than 20% diurnal variation on three or more days in a week for two weeks or FEV1>15% decrease after six minutes of exercise. Then, they were divided randomly into Groups A and Group B. Group A will receive → anti-asthmatic drugs with a supervised exercise program, and Group B will receive → unsupervised exercise program and anti-asthmatic drugs. Study parameters are used to assess the disease activity and functional capability of the patients: (1) spirometry and (2) ACQ (asthma control questionnaire). The study group then follows up after the 6th and 12th week.

Result: The mean (±SD) age 33.96(±8.91) was in Group A and 39.96(±8.73) were in Group B. Most age groups, 10(37.04%), were 20-30 years old; in Group A, they were 31-40. 15(55.56%) were in Group B, followed by 41-50 yrs. 09(33.33%) were Group A and 06(22.22%) were Group B. Most of the females, 19(70.37%), were in Group A and 20(74.07%) were in Group B. Out of All patients, 09(33.33%) were housewife in Group A and 05(18.52%) were in Group B, 11(40.74%) service holder were in Group A and 20(74.07%) were in Group B, 05(18.52%) student was Group A and 02(7.41%) student were Group B. All of the majority, 25(92.59%), come from middle-class socio-economic status, in Group A and 22(81.48%) in Group B. spirometry analysis of lung function, pre-treatment mean (FEV1/FVC %) 69.43(±3.15) were in Group A and 67.83(±3.64) were in Group B (p >0.05) that different was not statistically significant. ACQ (Asthma control questionnaire) score and pre-treatment mean score of 1.66(±0.40) were in Group A, and 1.91(±0.69) were in Group B (p >0.05). That difference was not statistically significant. After giving Group A a supervised rehab program, there was a significant improvement in spirometry analysis and ACQ score between the two groups.

Conclusion: Although the study was conducted with a small sample size in a single Centre in Dhaka city, which may not be representative of the whole country, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in spirometry analysis and ACQ score between the groups.

Keywords: Supervised, Breathing Exercise and Bronchial Asthma.