Quantitative research for improving respiratory muscle contraction by breathing exercise.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of breathing exercise on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

324 patients stable COPD were randomly assigned to either the breathing exercise group (Group I) or control group consisting of placebo (Group II). The maximum respiratory pressure (320 cases) and transdiaphragmatic pressure (129 cases) were monitored via RMS-I and Type-2 pressure measurements. The breathing exercises were taught and checked by experienced specialists periodically. Comparison was made between Group I and Group II using maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), diaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) and maximum transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdimax) after 1 to 20 months.

RESULTS

In Group I MIP increased by 30.42%, MEP 32.10%, Pdi 30.94% and Pdimax 65.59% (P < 0.001). No significant changes were observed in Group II given the placebo. The MIP, MEP, Pdi and Pdimax were 6.95%, 2.92%, 14.63 and 9.05% respectively (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Breathing exercise has a potent and long lasting effect on respiratory muscle contraction. The methods mentioned above can be used as standard quantitative index for contractile properties of respiratory muscle.