RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Breathing exercises for asthma: a randomised controlled trial JF Thorax JO Thorax FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Thoracic Society SP 55 OP 61 DO 10.1136/thx.2008.100867 VO 64 IS 1 A1 Thomas, M A1 McKinley, R K A1 Mellor, S A1 Watkin, G A1 Holloway, E A1 Scullion, J A1 Shaw, D E A1 Wardlaw, A A1 Price, D A1 Pavord, I YR 2009 UL http://thorax.bmj.com/content/64/1/55.abstract AB Background: The effect of breathing modification techniques on asthma symptoms and objective disease control is uncertain.Methods: A prospective, parallel group, single-blind, randomised controlled trial comparing breathing training with asthma education (to control for non-specific effects of clinician attention) was performed. Subjects with asthma with impaired health status managed in primary care were randomised to receive three sessions of either physiotherapist-supervised breathing training (nā€Š=ā€Š94) or asthma nurse-delivered asthma education (nā€Š=ā€Š89). The main outcome was Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) score, with secondary outcomes including spirometry, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, exhaled nitric oxide, induced sputum eosinophil count and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) and hyperventilation (Nijmegen) questionnaire scores.Results: One month after the intervention there were similar improvements in AQLQ scores from baseline in both groups but at 6 months there was a significant between-group difference favouring breathing training (0.38 units, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.68). At the 6-month assessment there were significant between-group differences favouring breathing training in HAD anxiety (1.1, 95% CI 0.2 to 1.9), HAD depression (0.8, 95% CI 0.1 to 1.4) and Nijmegen (3.2, 95% CI 1.0 to 5.4) scores, with trends to improved ACQ (0.2, 95% CI 0.0 to 0.4). No significant between-group differences were seen at 1 month. Breathing training was not associated with significant changes in airways physiology, inflammation or hyper-responsiveness.Conclusion: Breathing training resulted in improvements in asthma-specific health status and other patient-centred measures but not in asthma pathophysiology. Such exercises may help patients whose quality of life is impaired by asthma, but they are unlikely to reduce the need for anti-inflammatory medication.