The rationale of applying inspiratory/expiratory muscle training within the same respiratory cycle in children with bronchial asthma: a placebo-controlled randomized clinical investigation

• Published in: The Journal of asthma Vol. 60; no. 5; p. 900
• Main Authors: Elnaggar, Ragab K, Osailan, Ahmad M, Elbanna, Mohammed F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 04.05.2023
• Subjects: Adolescent; Asthma - therapy; Breathing Exercises; Child; Humans; Lung; Respiratory Muscles - physiology; Respiratory Therapy; bronchial asthma; respiratory muscle training; Lung diseases; breathing exercises; respiratory function test
• ISSN: 1532-4303
• DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2022.2103708

Even though positive implications of inspiratory muscle training (In-MT) have been established in children and adolescents with bronchial asthma (C/AwBA), the role of combined inspiratory and expiratory muscle training (Ex-MT) within the same respiratory cycle (In/Ex-SC) is still unknown. This study was, therefore, set out to explore the effect of In/Ex-SC on respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary functions, and control of asthma symptoms in C/AwBA. This was a placebo-controlled randomized clinical investigation that included 51 C/AwBA (12-18 years). Participants were assigned randomly into three groups: Placebo, In-MT only, or combined In/Ex-SC training (  = 17, each group). The training was conducted for ∼35 min, thrice/week over 12 weeks. The maximal inspiratory (IP ) and expiratory (EP ) pressure (indicating the strength of the inspiratory and expiratory muscles, respectively), pulmonary functions [forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV ), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV /FVC index], and asthma control test (ACT) were assessed before and after the intervention. The In/Ex-SC yielded larger increases in IP and EP than either the Placebo training ( =.031 and =.009 respectively) or the In-MT ( =.029 and =.032 respectively). Further, In/Ex-SC produced favorable improvement in FEV , FVC, and FEV /FVC compared to the Placebo training ( =.001, =.004, and =.0005 respectively) or In-MT ( =.038, =.037, and =.025 respectively) training. Furthermore, In/Ex-SC led to better control of asthma symptoms than the Placebo ( <.001) or In-MT ( =.002) training. This study provides evidence that combined In/Ex-SC can considerably improve respiratory muscle strength, enhance pulmonary function, and promote control over asthma symptoms in C/AwBA.