The effect of aerobic and breathing exercises on clinical control and psychosocial status in patients with moderate and severe asthma: a RCT

Aerobic and respiratory exercises are non-pharmacological treatments recommended to improve asthma clinical control; however, the association of both interventions has never been tested. Aim: To assess the effect of aerobic and breathing exercises on the clinical control in subjects with asthma. Methods: Subjects with moderate to severe asthma were randomly assigned to either aerobic+stretching(sham) exercises(AS;n=11) or aerobic+breathing exercises(AB;n=16) for 24 sessions. All patients were assessed before and after the interventions for clinical control (ACQ), health-related quality of life (AQLQ), sleep quality (Pittsburgh), anxiety and depression symptoms (HADS), and hyperventilation symptoms (Nijmegen). Results: There was no difference between groups before intervention. After intervention, no difference was observed on clinical control (-0.27±0.65 vs -0.55±0.59 score), AQLQ (0.76±0.89 vs 0.48±0.75 score), anxiety and depression symptoms (-2.27±4.12 vs -1.13±3.07 score), physical capacity (54.81±97.12 vs 102.12±133.11 meters), and sleep quality (-2.79±6.91 vs. -4.50±9.99 score) between AS and AB (p>0.05 for all outcomes). However, patients from AB improved the hyperventilation symptoms (-1±8.40 vs. -6.73±7.83 score; p=0.02) after intervention compared to AS. Conclusion: The association of aerobic and respiratory exercises seems not to improve asthma control, HRQoL, anxiety and depression symptoms, and sleep quality compared with aerobic exercise alone in patients with moderated and severe asthma. The association of breathing exercise was more effective in improving hyperventilation in this population.