PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Andreasson, Karen Hjerrild
AU  - Skou, Søren T
AU  - Ulrik, Charlotte Suppli
AU  - Madsen, Hanne
AU  - Sidenius, Kirsten
AU  - Porsbjerg, Celeste
AU  - Assing, Karin Dahl
AU  - Bloch-Nielsen, Jannie
AU  - Thomas, Mike
AU  - Bodtger, Uffe
TI  - Breathing exercises for specialist care asthma patients: a multicentre randomised trial
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.RCT2901
DP  - 2021 Sep 05
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - RCT2901
VI  - 58
IP  - suppl 65
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/RCT2901.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/RCT2901.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2021 Sep 05; 58
AB  - Patients with mild-to-moderate symptomatic asthma improve asthma-related quality of life from physiotherapist delivered breathing exercises (BE), yet no evidence exists for patients with moderate-to-severe asthma.We completed a multicentre randomised trial in Danish specialist asthma care units (7 hospitals + 1 private clinic) in 2017-20. Eligible patients included Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) 0.8, ≥18 years, ≥2 asthma unit visits. Usual asthma care (UC) including pharmacotherapy was compared to UC+BE. BE included breathing pattern improvements aimed at rhythmic, nasal inspired and diaphragmatic breathing in rest and during activity, and relaxation, given in 3 physiotherapy sessions and added daily home exercise. Primary outcome: 6-month change in Mini-Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). Secondary outcomes: lung function, 6-minutes’ walk test, Nijmegen Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We analyzed data using repeated measures mixed effects models.193 patients participated (63% female, mean age 52 years, mean AQLQ 4.3, median ACQ 2.2, 83% in GINA step 4-5). AQLQ was completed by 95% at 6-month.AQLQ improved 0.35 units, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07 to 0.62 between groups, favouring UC+BE in intention to treat analysis. Numbers needed to treat was 7.6. The only secondary outcome with significant between group difference was depression, which improved -0.9 units (95%CI -1.67 to -0.14) favouring UC+BE. Asthma exacerbations occurred in 9.6% of UC+BE and 10.2% of UC participants (p=0.79).BE in addition to specialist asthma care appears to be safe and effective in improving asthma-related quality of life in patients with symptomatic moderate-to-severe asthma.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, RCT2901.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).