TY - JOUR T1 - Breathing exercises for patients with multiple sclerosis - A randomized controlled trial JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 44 IS - Suppl 58 SP - 4676 AU - Elisabeth Westerdahl AU - Anna Wittrin AU - Margareta Kånåhols AU - Martin Gunnarsson AU - Ylva Nilsagård Y1 - 2014/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/4676.abstract N2 - Introduction: The potential benefit of breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure in patients with mild to moderate symptoms of multiple sclerosis has not yet been investigated.Objectives: To study the effects of home-based breathing exercises performed during two months by patients with multiple sclerosis.Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 48 patients with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis registered in Örebro County, Sweden were selected out of the national MS registry. A breathing exercise group (n=23) were compared to a control group (n=25) performing no breathing exercises. The breathing exercises were performed with a positive expiratory pressure device (10-15 cmH20) and consisted of 30 slow deep breaths performed twice a day during two months. Respiratory muscle strength, lung volumes, oxygenation, breathing and coughing ability and self-reported health status was evaluated before and after the intervention.Results: After the two months breathing exercises there was a significant difference between the Breathing exercise group and Control group regarding the relative change in vital capacity (p<0.043) and forced vital capacity (p<0.025), favoring the Breathing group (p<0.025). No other significant differences were found between the groups.Conclusions: In this study we have shown positive effects on spirometric values after breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure for patients with mild to moderate MS. However, no effects were found in subjective outcomes and the possibility to delay progression of respiratory dysfunction in MS patients needs to be further studied. ER -