Breathing techniques to reduce symptoms in people with serious respiratory illness: a systematic review.
Humans
Quality of Life
Breathing Exercises
/ methods
Dyspnea
/ therapy
Treatment Outcome
Lung
/ physiopathology
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Asthma
/ therapy
Middle Aged
Male
Female
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
/ therapy
Aged
Yoga
Recovery of Function
Adult
Respiration
Severity of Illness Index
Journal
European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society
ISSN: 1600-0617
Titre abrégé: Eur Respir Rev
Pays: England
ID NLM: 9111391
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Oct 2024
Oct 2024
Historique:
received:
23
01
2024
accepted:
24
06
2024
medline:
31
10
2024
pubmed:
31
10
2024
entrez:
30
10
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
In adults with serious respiratory illness, breathlessness is prevalent and associated with reduced health-related quality of life. The aim of this review was to assess the impact of breathing techniques on breathlessness in adults with serious respiratory illness. Electronic databases were searched to identify randomised controlled trials testing breathing techniques (techniques that aim to alter the respiratory pattern, excluding respiratory muscle training) in people with serious respiratory illness. The primary outcome was breathlessness and secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life and adverse events. Two authors independently screened for inclusion, evaluated risk of bias and extracted data. 73 randomised controlled trials were included with 5479 participants, most with COPD or asthma. Breathing exercises (pursed lip and/or diaphragmatic breathing) reduced breathlessness measured by the modified Medical Research Council scale compared to usual care (mean difference (MD) -0.40 points, 95% CI -0.70- -0.11, eight studies, n=323), although the effect did not exceed the minimal important difference. Yoga breathing also improved modified Medical Research Council score compared to usual care (MD -1.05 points, 95% CI -2.45-0.35, three studies, n=175). Breathing techniques consistently improved health-related quality of life in people with COPD and asthma on multiple health-related quality of life measures in comparison to usual care, with effects that generally exceeded the minimal important difference. No adverse events related to breathing techniques were reported. Breathing techniques may improve breathlessness, and consistently improve health-related quality of life, in people with serious respiratory illness. These findings support the use of breathing exercises in the care of people with serious respiratory illness.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
In adults with serious respiratory illness, breathlessness is prevalent and associated with reduced health-related quality of life. The aim of this review was to assess the impact of breathing techniques on breathlessness in adults with serious respiratory illness.
METHODS
METHODS
Electronic databases were searched to identify randomised controlled trials testing breathing techniques (techniques that aim to alter the respiratory pattern, excluding respiratory muscle training) in people with serious respiratory illness. The primary outcome was breathlessness and secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life and adverse events. Two authors independently screened for inclusion, evaluated risk of bias and extracted data.
RESULTS
RESULTS
73 randomised controlled trials were included with 5479 participants, most with COPD or asthma. Breathing exercises (pursed lip and/or diaphragmatic breathing) reduced breathlessness measured by the modified Medical Research Council scale compared to usual care (mean difference (MD) -0.40 points, 95% CI -0.70- -0.11, eight studies, n=323), although the effect did not exceed the minimal important difference. Yoga breathing also improved modified Medical Research Council score compared to usual care (MD -1.05 points, 95% CI -2.45-0.35, three studies, n=175). Breathing techniques consistently improved health-related quality of life in people with COPD and asthma on multiple health-related quality of life measures in comparison to usual care, with effects that generally exceeded the minimal important difference. No adverse events related to breathing techniques were reported.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Breathing techniques may improve breathlessness, and consistently improve health-related quality of life, in people with serious respiratory illness. These findings support the use of breathing exercises in the care of people with serious respiratory illness.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39477355
pii: 33/174/240012
doi: 10.1183/16000617.0012-2024
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Systematic Review
Journal Article
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
Copyright ©The authors 2024.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Conflicts of interest: L. Romero declares funding from the European Respiratory Society to design search strategies for this review. A.E. Holland declares authorship on one of the systematic reviews included in this study but no other conflicts of interest. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest.