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AsthmaNCT04310696

Comparison of Buteyko Technique and Pursed Lip Breathing in Asthma

A study testing Buteyko Breathing exercises and Pursed lip breathing in people with Asthma, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The objective of the study was to compare the effects of Buteyko breathing technique and pursed lip breathing technique in the management of asthma. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 asthmatic patients randomly allocated to Buteyko technique group and pursed lip breathing group. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 40 years
Conditions the study is for
Asthma
What is being tested?
Buteyko Breathing exercises and Pursed lip breathing
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
60 participants
Where
1 sitePakistan
Study dates
30 Aug 2018to 20 Aug 2019
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 40 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Patients categorized as mild to moderate persistent asthma category according to the "National Asthma Education and Prevention Program"

Who cannot join

  • Use of oral steroids within the four-week run-in period,
  • Change in inhaled steroid dose and type,
  • Other significant unstable medical conditions,
  • They have undertaken Buteyko breathing technique previously.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Pakistan1 site
  • Riphah International University

    Islamabad, Federal, 44000

Other trials in Pakistan

About this study

Official title: Comparison of Buteyko Breathing Technique and Pursed Lip Breathing to Improve Pulmonary Function in Asthma

The objective of the study was to compare the effects of Buteyko breathing technique and pursed lip breathing technique in the management of asthma. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 asthmatic patients randomly allocated to Buteyko technique group and pursed lip breathing group. Both the groups received 4 weeks of treatment, 3 times per week. Data was collected at base line, 2nd week and 4th week. Outcome measurements included FVC, FEV, PEFR and Asthma Control Test Questionnaire scores. Data analysis was carried out on Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) v.21.0. Confidence interval was kept at 95% and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Read the detailed description

Asthma is an inflammatory condition in which narrowing and swelling of the airways occur, accompanied with extra mucus production. This results in difficulty in breathing and triggers coughing, wheezing and dyspnea. In some cases asthma is a minor irritation, but on the other end of the spectrum it may interfered with activities of daily living and can even become life threatening in severe asthma attacks. According to a study conducted in Pakistan, the prevalence of asthma in adults was found to be 10.8% in adults, working in tanneries with 5.3% of them reporting their symptoms to be work related.

Non-pharmacological management of asthma includes patient education, guidance and physiotherapy. It is suggested that physical therapy may have positive effects in patients with asthma, as they possess dysfunctional breathing patterns accompanied with poor physical condition. Numerous reviews by Cochrane have been published in the recent years regarding the effects of physical therapy in patients with asthma, focusing on the effects of numerous techniques including Alexander technique, manual therapy, physical training, breathing exercises and inspiratory muscle training. In terms of specific effects of different physical therapy treatment techniques in patients with asthma, in light of the existing literature, breathing exercises have found to improve quality of life, reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and hyperventilation, and decrease respiratory rate and medication use. Moreover, inspiratory muscle training is found to improve symptoms, decrease medication use and also improve inspiratory pressure.

Buteyko technique is a specialized breathing technique developed to reduce chronic hyperinflation.

A pre and post design quasi experimental study conducted was conducted in 2014 to determine the effects of Buteyko breathing technique on asthma control and QOL in school aged children with asthma where Buteyko breathing technique group showed significant improvements terms of asthma control and quality of life.

Based upon the review of the literature, evidence is inadequate in terms of comparison of Buteyko breathing technique with pursed lip breathing technique in the management of patients with asthma except for a single randomized controlled trial. For this reason the purpose of the current study is to compare the effects of Buteyko technique with pursed lip breathing in the management of patients with asthma.

Conditions
Asthma
Being tested
Buteyko Breathing exercises, Pursed lip breathing
Keywords
Asthma, Buteyko, Pursed lip breathing, Spirometer
Medical subject headings
Asthma

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Buteyko Breathing exercisesOther

    Buteyko breathing technique was performed by asking the patient to take a small breath in and then out and hold his/her breath and count the time in seconds, as long as he or she can, until first signs of air hunger start to appear, followed by normal breathing once again. This procedure was repeated 15 times, three sets of 15 repetitions were given to the patient per day, 3 days per week and the treatment was continued for 4 weeks.

  • Pursed lip breathingOther

    Pursed lip breathing was performed as nasal inspiration followed by expiratory blowing against partially closed lips. Participants received a total of 3 sets of 15 repetitions per day, 3 times a week and the treatment was continued for 4 weeks.

Study groups in NCT04310696
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Buteyko groupExperimentalButeyko breathing exercises
Receives: Other: Buteyko Breathing exercises
Pursed lip breathingActive comparatorPursed lip breathing exercises
Receives: Other: Pursed lip breathing

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)

    Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measured through digital spirometer. Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) measured through digital spirometer. Three zones of measurement are commonly used to interpret peak flow rates. Normal value of PEFR is (80-100%). Green zone indicates 80 to 100 percent of the usual or normal peak flow reading, yellow zone indicates 50 to 79 percent of the usual or normal peak flow readings, and red zone indicates less than 50 percent of the usual or normal peak flow readings.

    Measured: After 4 weeks of intervention

  2. Forced vital capacity (FVC)

    Forced vital capacity (FVC) measured through digital spirometer. If the value of FVC is within 80% of the reference value, the results are considered normal.

    Measured: After 4 weeks of intervention

  3. Forced expiratory volume in 1sec (FEV1)

    Forced expiratory volume in 1sec (FEV1) measured through digital spirometer. If the value of FEV1 is within 80% of the reference value, the results are considered normal.

    Measured: After 4 weeks of intervention

  4. FVC/FEV1

    FVC/FEV1 measured through digital spirometer. The normal value for the FEV1/FVC ratio is 70% (and 65% in persons older than age 65).

    Measured: After 4 weeks of intervention

  5. Asthma Control Questionnaire

    Asthma Control questionnaire is a self-reported subjective outcome measurement tool that is used to measure the sufficiency of asthma symptom control and changes in asthma symptoms. It is 5 point scale with scores ranging from 0 to 5 for each item. The greater the score of Asthma Control questionnaire, the better the prognosis and outcome.

    Measured: After 4 weeks of intervention

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted17 Mar 2020
  2. Study start30 Aug 2018
  3. Primary completion15 Feb 2019
  4. Study completion20 Aug 2019

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04310696
Sponsor's protocol ID
REC/00424 Iqra Arshad Butt
Status last verified
Mar 2020
First submitted
6 Mar 2020
Last updated
17 Mar 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Davies SJ, Jackson PR, Ramsay LE. Dysfunctional breathing and asthma. Panic disorder needs to be considered. BMJ. 2001 Sep 15;323(7313):631; author reply 631-2. No abstract available.

    PubMed 11575318
  • Stoodley I, Williams L, Thompson C, Scott H, Wood L. Evidence for lifestyle interventions in asthma. Breathe (Sheff). 2019 Jun;15(2):e50-e61. doi: 10.1183/20734735.0019-2019.

    PubMed 31777565
  • Arden-Close EJ, Kirby SE, Yardley L, Bruton A, Ainsworth B, Thomas DM. Evaluation of a breathing retraining intervention to improve quality of life in asthma: quantitative process analysis of the BREATHE randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2019 Jul;33(7):1139-1149. doi: 10.1177/0269215519832942. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

    PubMed 30813767
  • Singh V, Wisniewski A, Britton J, Tattersfield A. Effect of yoga breathing exercises (pranayama) on airway reactivity in subjects with asthma. Lancet. 1990 Jun 9;335(8702):1381-3. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(90)91254-8.

    PubMed 1971670
  • Zampogna E, Centis R, Negri S, Fiore E, Cherubino F, Pignatti P, Heffler E, Canonica GW, Sotgiu G, Saderi L, Migliori GB, Spanevello A, Visca D. Effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation in severe asthma: a retrospective data analysis. J Asthma. 2020 Dec;57(12):1365-1371. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2019.1646271. Epub 2019 Aug 13.

    PubMed 31317799
  • Austin G. Buteyko technique use to control asthma symptoms. Nurs Times. 2013 Apr 24-30;109(16):16-7.

    PubMed 23697004
  • Barker NJ, Jones M, O'Connell NE, Everard ML. Breathing exercises for dysfunctional breathing/hyperventilation syndrome in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Dec 18;2013(12):CD010376. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010376.pub2.

    PubMed 24347088
  • Wang Q, Zhang W, Liu L, Yang W, Liu H. Effects of physical therapy on lung function in children with asthma: Study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Apr;98(15):e15226. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000015226.

    PubMed 30985726

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Buteyko Breathing exercises and Pursed lip breathing in people with Asthma, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Mar 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) (time frame: After 4 weeks of intervention). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04310696, which also lists 8 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Mar 2020.

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