Effects and Usefulness of Inspiratory Muscle Training Load in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer with Dyspnea.

BACKGROUND

Patients with advanced lung cancer tend to experience dyspnea. Pulmonary rehabilitation has been reported as a method for relieving dyspnea. However, exercise therapy imposes a high burden on patients, and it is difficult to sustain in many cases. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) imposes a relatively low burden on patients with advanced lung cancer; however, its benefits have not been demonstrated.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 71 patients who were hospitalized for medical treatment. The participants were divided into an exercise therapy group and an IMT load + exercise therapy group. Changes in maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and dyspnea were examined using a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance.

RESULTS

MIP variations significantly increase in the IMT load group, with significant differences between baseline and week 1, between week 1 and week 2, and between baseline and week 2. The analysis also showed that the variations in dyspnea decreased in the IMT load + exercise therapy group with significant differences between baseline and week 1 and between baseline and week 2.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that IMT is useful and has a high persistence rate in patients with advanced lung cancer who present dyspnea and cannot perform high-intensity exercise therapy.